Gateway passes $2 million mark in campaign to build new shelter
GAINESVILLE – Just in time for Christmas, Gateway Domestic Violence Center received some welcome holiday cheer in its campaign to build a new emergency shelter.
The campaign, Gateway to 2020, had its application for funding in the 2018 Round of the Competitive Affordable Housing Program (AHP) approved and was awarded $720,00. The program, administered through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines, partners with communities and organizations who are helping to meet critical housing needs.
The award takes Gateway’s campaign total above the $2 million mark of its $2.5 million goal. The silent phase of the campaign raised approximately $735,000 before it was announced publicly in March 2017. Earlier this year, Gateway secured a site to build the new shelter and hopes to break ground once the $2.5 million goal is reached.
“It’s certainly exciting to pass the $2 million mark,” said Jessica Butler, Gateway’s executive director. “We’ve been overwhelmed by the generosity of the community in its support of the campaign, and we are hopeful they will continue to help us reach the finish line.”
For more information about Gateway to 2020 including naming opportunities, contact 770-539-9080 or click here.
Gateway needs a new facility so that it can continue to effectively meet the safety and support needs of women and children fleeing domestic violence. The emergency shelter was built in 1983. Since that time, the community’s population has grown from 80,278 to 193,535 people. Gateway does not own the building where the shelter is located, and the owner needs the property. The current lease expires on December 31, 2020, and Gateway plans to move before that time. Additionally, the demand for shelter space has increased significantly in recent years, requiring Gateway to overcrowd the shelter and book hotel rooms for families.
