THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 19, 1995 TAG: 9505180243
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY REBECCA A. MYERS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
Groundbreaking for a new battered women's shelter in Cradock was held recently by Help and Emergency Response (HER), the Portsmouth-based agency that provides a safe haven for abused women and their children.
The 15-bedroom home will hold up to 42 individuals, nearly doubling the number of women and children HER currently serves.
``All we can say is that it's in the city of Portsmouth, near the city line of Chesapeake,'' HER Executive Director Sandra C. Becker said of the new shelter's location.
With construction expected to be completed by November, the facility should be ready for full occupancy in early December.
``It will be wonderful,'' said an excited Becker.
The new home will be accessible to the handicapped, have three or four counseling rooms, a stainless steel kitchen, a living/dining room area, a children's play room, as well as space for administrative offices and a 24-hour hotline.
``The facility that we have right now is somewhat depressing because it's old, and it's not real fancy,'' said Becker.
The current shelter, which accommodates 26 women and children, has been in use for the past 10 years. It is an older home rented from Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority for $1 a year.
``It has certainly served us well, but it's an old house that's had some problems, and we needed to move not only because of that, but because we needed to expand our services,'' said Becker.
From July 1994 until the end of March, HER provided 4,579 nights of shelter to 336 women and 228 children. The figures indicate a significant increase over a total of 312 people served during the last fiscal year.
``I don't know the reason for that,'' said Becker. ``I don't know if the actual violence is on the rise, if there is a greater number of reporting or does it have anything to do with the Simpson case out in California?
``I don't know. All I know is that our numbers have increased substantially in just nine months.''
About 90 percent of the $650,000 needed to fund the new shelter has been committed. That includes a $200,000 grant from the state. Most of the money was raised through HER's ``Raise The Roof Campaign,'' which began in April 1994.
``We've had wonderful, wonderful contributions from the community,'' said Becker. ``Individuals themselves have given us an enormous amount of money - I'd say about $90,000 from civic and church groups, individuals and all kinds of wonderful people.''
In addition, various clubs have volunteered to sew curtains for the windows and make quilts for the beds, ``the kinds of things we need to make it a home,'' Becker said.
``I have lived in so many communities and this has been, by far, the best community I have ever lived in, in terms of community support,'' she said.
Becker moved here last May after her husband, Tom, became pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church on Airline Boulevard.
As close as HER Inc. is to its fund-raising goal, the agency still needs to raise about $70,000 between now and December for furniture and loan repayment, said Becker.
To help raise that money, HER is planning a flea market and bazaar for July 22, though the location has not yet been confirmed.
``We hope to make a wonderful community affair,'' Becker said. ``It will be enjoyable, and at the same time, help out the cause.''
In addition to accepting donations for the flea market and bazaar, HER will rent spaces for $10 to anyone who would like to sell items.
For information about donating items, renting space or volunteering time, call Debra Shires at 393-7833. by CNB