Rochester now has the largest shelter in New York state for victims of domestic violence.
Willow Domestic Violence Center will stage a "virtual ribbon cutting" for its new, 49-bed facility this afternoon. The shelter's location is not disclosed for security reasons.
Executive director Jaime Saunders says the shelter not only has more room for women, children and men who need to escape abusive relationships, it also ensures privacy and dignity.
"That is an individual room where you can have a lock on it; it is an independent bathroom. It is the ability to have that space with your family with your own little refrigerator and your own little table you can use for homework and access to computer for job searches and housing searches."
The shelter also features something new for the agency, a separate space for the pets of domestic violence victims. Saunders says perpetrators of domestic violence often threaten to harm or kill animals to keep their victims from leaving home.
"They do not want to leave their pet at home. Pets are used as a weapon. They are used by the perpetrator to threaten, harm, abuse, and even kill. Therefore, we need to make sure they are all safe. We have more and more families who will stay in abusive relationships because of their pets."
The agency has doubled the size of its counseling center and expanded its hotline call center which receives more than 5,000 calls a year. Saunders said Willow was turning away an average of 1,600 survivors of domestic violence each year because of a lack of space in its original shelter.
Willow also recently opened its new administrative office and training center at 693 East Avenue.
The agency has exceeded its fundraising campaign goal of $8 million. In 2014, Willow Center was awarded a $4.98 million New York State Homeless Housing Assistance Program grant to cover 62% of the total project cost.