A $4 million grant has been awarded to Response, a nonprofit organization that serves survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, to support the construction of a domestic abuse shelter in Basalt, Colorado. The grant was given by the Colorado State Housing Board and has brought the project one step closer to becoming a reality. Response plans to turn to the community to help raise the remaining funds needed to complete the project.
In addition to the grant for the shelter construction, the state also approved a three-year, $700,000 grant to support Response’s housing programs. This will provide ongoing support for survivors of domestic and sexual abuse.
The domestic abuse shelter, named the Halle Center for Hope and Healing, will be the first of its kind in the upper valley. It will serve as a safe haven for survivors and their children who are fleeing abusive situations. The shelter will offer short-term housing in a trauma-informed setting.
The shelter will feature seven efficiency units, with five units specifically designed for survivors and their children, and two units for single survivors. Each room will include a kitchenette and bathroom, and there will also be communal areas such as a kitchen, living area, and play yard to facilitate healing and community-building among the survivors.
The construction permits for the shelter are currently being processed through Basalt Town Hall. The facility will be situated at 325 E. Cody Lane and will comprise a 6,770-square-foot open-facing building, including office space, client rooms, a two-bedroom housing unit, and a parking lot with 17 spaces.
The estimated budget for the project is around $8 million. Shannon Meyer, the executive director of Response, expressed the organization’s hope to raise the remaining $800,000 by October. Once the necessary construction permits are obtained, Response plans to break ground by late October and aims to open the doors of the center in the fall of 2024.
The capital fundraising for the shelter was initiated in the spring, with a lead campaign gift from the Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation, based in Arizona. Local governments in Response’s service area also contributed to the fundraising efforts. Response has been providing support to survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, stalking, and human trafficking in the Roaring Fork Valley for the past 40 years.
The construction of the Halle Center for Hope and Healing will bring a much-needed resource to the community, ensuring that survivors of domestic abuse have a safe place to turn to in their time of need. With the generous grant from the Colorado State Housing Board and ongoing support from the community, Response is on track to make this vital project a reality.
