Winchester, Va. – The Laurel Center Intervention for Domestic and Sexual Violence broke ground on its new emergency shelter and outreach center at the site of the former Winchester Feed and Seed. General contractor for the project is Howard Shockey & Sons, Inc.rnrnThe Laurel Center, formerly the Shelter for Abused Women, began efforts to find a new home in 2005. The agency ran into difficulty trying to find a site. Eventually the center found and purchased the property on North Cameron Street. Fundraising helped pay for initial work at the site and the demolition of the buildings on the former Winchester Feed and Seed property, Carpenter recalled. rnrnThe new, handicapped-accessible facility will double the center’s current capacity. The facility also will provide private and safe living quarters for all center residents; office space for the agency’s 18 programs which provide aid to more than 2,000 people each year; and rooms for conferences, meetings, counseling, training and educational areas. rnrnWhen it is completed, the center will be able accommodate the 400 women and children who need emergency shelter annually, says Executive Director Donna Carpenter. While the center sees clients mainly from Frederick County and Winchester, Carpenter estimates at least 10 percent of those people seeking help live in other areas such as Shenandoah and Warren counties.rnrnSource: Alex Bridges, NVDaily.comrn
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