- Thomasville shelter currently has 21 beds, with plans to increase capacity to 30 people.
- The new facility will offer therapy and support groups, to better assist victims.
- Watch the video to learn how the community can help fund the new shelter.
BROADCAST SCRIPT
This is just one of the problems Halcyon Home Women's Shelter is facing—a leaky roof that will cost over $20,000 to fix.
"We're having to turn those women away cause we can't," said Jennifer Green, Halcyon Home's executive director.
I'm tracking the urgent need for a new shelter and how a $1 million grant could make it happen.
Halcyon Home has been providing critical services for over 30 years, but their 120-year-old building is not up to the task.
"And it's three stories, that's a safety issue. We have to turn women away that can't climb stairs," said green.
Jennifer Green tells me space is a big issue, too.
Right now, they have 16 beds but can house up to 21 people with the baby beds and mattresses they have.
But having four women in each room is not ideal for someone trying to escape an abusive home.
"I mean, can you imagine coming to—not this size—but a small room and you're this close with a stranger? So you don't know these people, and you're already dealing with the situation you just left. I think it could be one of the reasons why people go back home to their abusers," said Green.
Since the shelter opened, they've provided a safe haven for over 3,058 women and 3,319 children.
But the demand for help is growing.
"I think it's no longer a stigma, and people are aware that help is there, and it's not their fault, and they're no longer embarrassed about it," said Green.
With problems like a leaky roof, limited bathrooms, and overcrowded rooms, Halcyon Home is hoping to build a brand-new facility.
The new shelter will expand capacity to 30 people, offer more services, and ensure that women with disabilities aren't turned away.
"I got a new start, my baby starts school and he's never been to school but he starts school, " said Cooper.
Georgette Cooper, a survivor, found refuge at Halcyon Home two weeks ago and is now preparing for a fresh start.
"I don't know where I'd be. They help you get a job, they help you get a place after this, and everything," said Cooper.
The City of Thomasville has approved applying for a $1 million grant on their behalf.
The application will be submitted in April, and they expect to hear back in September.
If the grant is approved, construction is set to begin in April 2026.
