Expanding Hope: CSE Shelter Capacity Will Soon Double
The YWCA Center for Safety and Empowerment (CSE) provides a safe, supportive home for survivors in need of emergency shelter. This year, we announced plans for a shelter expansion that will more than double our capacity once renovations are complete in Spring of 2024. Scroll down for a sneak peek inside the construction zone!
And remember, you can double the hope and double the healing by making a donation before the end of the year. All donations are being matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $100,000, by a generous donor! So you can double your impact while we’re doubling our capacity to safely shelter survivors.
For several years, the current CSE shelter has been at or near capacity, and survivors are often sheltered in hotels out of necessity. Not only is this expensive, but it adds to the experience of isolation, and stretches our staff resources thin. In just a couple of months, we will be able to welcome up to 30 survivors and their children into a warm and cozy home at a second shelter location. YWCA used a HOME ARPA grant to acquire the space earlier this year. Now, the construction is well underway! CEO Kathleen Marker and Director of Operations Courtland Davis took us on a tour of the living & dining space after the latest update with contractors. Click here (or scroll down) to watch the tour on video.
The kitchen is designed for community and gathering.
“They’re starting to put pieces together for the kitchen, and it’s starting to look more like a home than a shell of a home.”
-Courtland Davis
“It’s important for our families that are here to feel like, ‘this is our home.’ This is a sacred space for them…we know that people like to gather in the kitchen, so this [kitchen island] will be a place where people can gather, and it will flow into [the community room].”
- Kathleen
With three levels, this new home has space for 30 beds - which more than doubles our shelter capacity!
The space truly feels like a home, with original details throughout. Soon, this stairwell will be wiped clean of construction dust so that it can welcome new residents!
Scroll down for more images of this beautiful home, and make sure you don’t miss the video tour of the living space!
Stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to opening this shelter expansion in Spring of 2024!
More great news:
On December 12th, our friends at Aetna Better Health of Kansas presented YWCA Northeast Kansas with a check for over $100,000 to support CSE and the shelter expansion! These funds are greatly needed as we face rising costs of everything from groceries to utilities. In addition, it will allow us to increase wages for shelter staff, which helps retain quality staff and provide long-term consistency for the individuals we serve. Thank you, Aetna Better Health of Kansas! Read more here from the Kansas Reflector.
Don’t forget: A generous donor is matching all contributions between now and December 31st - which means you can double the hope and double your impact by donating today!
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking, the YWCA Center for Safety and Empowerment can help. We provide free and confidential services to individuals in Brown, Jackson, Shawnee, and Wabaunsee Counties. Advocates are available 24/7 on the CSE Helpline: 1-888-822-2983.