Completion of an ambition that began eight years ago, to build
the first shelter for battered women and children in the county,
has been delayed again because the project needs additional
funding. Organizers hope to finish by the end of summer.
Completion of an ambition that began eight years ago, to build the first shelter for battered women and children in the county, has been delayed again because the project needs additional funding. Organizers hope to finish by the end of summer.
The 6,000-square-foot Emmaus House on the corner of Sunnyslope and Valley View roads, which is designed to house nine families, has been entirely funded by donations. According to the Rev. David Rodriguez and Board member, several construction projects are still in need of work before the shelter can open, including flooring, kitchen appliances and bathroom fixtures.
“We’re still shooting for (a late summer completion goal),” Rodriguez said. “It’s a matter of funding. That’s the only thing that holds us down.”
In December, organizers had planned to open in February, and Rodriguez had said the project needed about $20,000. However, the assessment was significantly off, and this week, more than six months later, Rodriguez said construction is still about $75,000 short. He did not specify reasons for the fluctuation.
The 24-hour facility is designed to provide shelter and counseling to victims of domestic violence, legal assistance, a crisis phone line and emergency transportation.
The San Benito County Victim Witness program estimates more than 360 abuse cases occur a year, but with no shelter, the victims have been referred to shelters in Monterey, Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties.
“We want to be open as soon as possible to help women and children who are suffering,” he said.
During the years, the Board has “learned patience,” according to Rodriguez. When funding stalls, he said, the Board must show persistence and continue to raise more. The latest effort, a dinner dance in March, generated about $10,000.
“Once we get the money, we spend it,” Rodriguez said.
After the initial two-year search for a building site, the Emmaus House Board received a godsend in 1997, when the city donated a Hollister-owned house on the lot.
However, renovation plans were rejected when city engineers determined the building needed extensive work to meet several building codes. The house was demolished in 1998 and construction on the current facility began in 2000.
Rodriguez said there will be more fund-raisers once the opening date nears. At the outset, volunteers, many from JFK University, will staff the Emmaus House. Board members are currently writing several grant proposals for funding to potentially help pay for full-time staff.
Donations can be sent to Emmaus House, P.O. Box 1761, Hollister, CA 95023. For more information about Emmaus House, call Rodriguez at 637-4350.
