Health and Medicine
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Summit-Medina battered women's shelter gets a new home
The Akron facility is more secure, and consolidates several facilities into one
by WKSU's KABIR BHATIA |
Reporter
Kabir Bhatia | | |
 | | The new Hope & Healing has 41 units that each hold up to four people. The first floor -- seven units and a community room -- is slated to open by the end of the year. This is one of the new rooms, fully furnished and ready to go | | Courtesy of Bekey Hewit |
The Battered Women’s Shelter of Summit and Medina Counties is getting a new name and a new address. And as WKSU’s Kabir Bhatia reports, the changes are aimed at raising awareness, empowerment and money.
On a quiet corner in East Akron, what was once the Hower Department Store and later Middlebury Manor nursing home is now Hope & Healing. It’s the consolidation of several shelters and office buildings for the Summit and Medina Battered Women’s shelter and the Rape Crisis Center.
CEO Terri Heckman says they began renovations in 2012, first creating a community center for people who don't need actual sheltering. They make up about three-quarters of the center’s clients.
“We did 24,000 nights of shelter last year. But we do 60,000 people as far as support groups and financial assistance and case management, child advocacy. So there’s a lot of other things that happen.” |
Summit-Medina battered women's shelter gets a new homeOther options:  MP3 Download (3:31)
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That’s Terri Heckman, CEO of the Battered Women’s Shelter of Summit and Medina Counties, and the Rape Crisis Center. Although the new facility is what’s known as “open-address,” she says there’s still an anonymous shelter for use as needed. The new facility will feature rooms that can be sponsored by local groups, individuals or families. Naming rights are available for about two-thirds of those rooms. Anyone needing assistance from the Battered Women’s Shelter of Summit and Medina Counties can call the anonymous help line at 330-374-1111 |
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