Sheltering Wings expands domestic violence assistance with Danville men’s shelter
By Lindsay Doty
The nonprofit, known for providing emergency housing to women and children who are domestic abuse victims, is opening a men’s shelter this winter.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, domestic violence is not just a women’s issue. In Hendricks County in 2018 men were the victims in 68 domestic disturbance runs.
The men’s shelter will be located on the second floor of the existing building in Danville and be separate from women’s housing.
It includes three living units with kitchen and living room areas and resident rooms that will house up to 12 men.
“We have 68 beds in our shelter, and this will take the total up to 80,” said Kevin Carr, development and communications officer with Sheltering Wings.
The project renovations came together thanks to federal funding and generous partners.
United Way of Central Indiana granted Sheltering Wings $296,158 through its Capital Projects Fund, which funded 50% of renovations.
“Sheltering Wings’ men’s shelter maximizes the scope of United Way’s work by strengthening everyone that makes up a family unit, whether that’s a child, parent or caregiver, “ said Jennifer Hashem, public relations manager of United Way of Central Indiana.
“It’s critical to see an investment in Hendricks County that supports anyone who wants to cultivate a safe, promising future for their children and their families,” Hashem continued. “With this shelter, now both women and men can see that vision through, placing more families onto safer, stronger paths to longevity and lifelong success.”
Sheltering Wings will hold an open house in late February and partner with area men’s outreach groups to connect with men in need.
Sidebar captions:
Renovations are wrapping up at the men’s shelter located on the second floor of Sheltering Wings in Danville. This shows a kitchen and living room area and the second image shows one of the resident rooms. The shelter is planning an open house in late February. (Photo provided by Sheltering Wings)
SIDEBAR
Domestic violence victims will have Plainfield affordable housing option
One of the largest barriers for survivors of domestic violence is finding an affordable place to live.
“Our four greatest needs are affordable housing, affordable childcare, reliable transportation and access to mental health services,” said Cassie Mecklenburg, executive director of Sheltering Wings in Danville. “Affordable housing is not something that’s readily affordable in Hendricks County.”
That’s why Sheltering Wings has enthusiastically partnered with Cummins Behavioral Health and RealAmerica for a development called Haven Homes that is designed to provide independent living for individuals and families overcoming abuse.
“We have been praying for an opportunity like this for years,” said Mecklenburg. “We’re excited for these families because what it will do is help take them from the identity of a victim or survivor and move them into the identity of a Quaker, which is the mascot of Plainfield. We want to help them move beyond their past experiences and create a new life for themselves.”
She hopes the project will help erase the stigma for victims and set them up for independence.
“It’s not transition housing. It’s not emergency housing. It’s a permanent place for them to live,” she said.
Haven Homes will include about 55 units, a combination of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, along with counseling and support services.
“They might not know how to pay a bill, how to buy a home, how to rent an apartment or many other things that we might take for granted because we were taught, but that opportunity was taken away from them,” said Jessica Hynson, a clinical team lead at Cummins Behavioral Health. “We’ll be able to provide that kind of skills training, as well as trauma therapy for children and adults.”
Haven Homes is funded using Rental Housing Tax Credits (RHTC) from the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA).
The complex will be built near 2601 Stout Heritage Parkway in Plainfield. Construction is planned for the spring of 2020 and is expected to be completed in the summer of 2021.
Renderings show the layout of the Haven Homes development located near 2601 Stout Heritage Parkway in Plainfield. Construction is expected to begin this spring. (Photo provided by Sheltering Wings)