Friends of Yates Opens Renovated Domestic Violence Shelter

Contact:
Lucca Wang, Communications Coordinator, Media Contact
lwang@kcsdv.org
Office: 785-232-9784 Extension 335 | Mobile: 785-633-6648
https://www.kcsdv.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – October 26, 2017

KCSDV Coalition Member Friends of Yates Opens Renovated Domestic Violence Shelter

TOPEKA, Kan. – Northeast Kansas’ Friends of Yates opens a newly renovated section of its domestic violence shelter to victims and survivors on October 30, 2017. The community support organization has long been a staple of Wyandotte County and celebrates its shelter’s 37th year this year.

Friends of Yates’ Della Gill/Joyce H. Williams Center shelter now has a total of 42 beds in private family rooms for victims and survivors after about 20 beds were added by renovations. Additional spaces include: two lounge areas, where residents can relax, watch TV, listen to music and play games; a meditation room with a computer and reading materials for victims and survivors who prefer more quiet space; and a children’s room, where children can run and play.

The Della Gill/Joyce H. Williams Center housed 34 people in the shelter’s former facilities and serves 35 more people in outreach and non-residential services in a day. Outreach and non-residential services include navigating the legal system, legal referrals and help with protection orders and support groups and counseling. In a year, the center housed a total of about 260 victims and survivors of domestic violence. The center’s culinary advocacy program works with Kansas State University Research and Extension Nutrition Education Program staff to provide education to resident victims and survivors about healthy eating and how to plan and prepare meals on a budget.

“We save lives,” said Executive Director of Friends of Yates LaDora Lattimore. “In an emergency, survivors and their families turn to us for help.” Lattimore continued, “The shelter provides a safe space for survivors to begin their journey of healing from the trauma caused by experiencing abuse as well as provide them the resources and services for employment readiness, transitional and permanent housing, child care and much more.”

Friends of Yates as a whole community support organization outreaches to 4,000 people a year: 400 victims seeking shelter and non-residential, face-to-face outreach services and 3,600 people, who the organization connects with through domestic violence awareness, training, and education.

Friends of Yates’ 24 hour hotline is 913-321-0951, and the organization’s website is http://friendsofyates.org.

Friends of Yates is one of 27 Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence (KCSDV) coalition members across the state of Kansas. For more information, visit KCSDV’s website at https://www.kcsdv.org.

–End–

###

The Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence (KCSDV) is a leading statewide voice for victims and survivors and works with over 25 coalition members across the state of Kansas to prevent and eliminate domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. Find services, resources and a listing of trainings on KCSDV’s website at https://www.kcsdv.org. Contact KCSDV by email at coalition@kcsdv.org or by phone at 785-232-9784. Press contact: 785-633-6648. The 24-hour Kansas Crisis Hotline is 888-END-ABUSE (888-363-2287).

PDF of this release

Friends of Yates Ribbon Cutting 1

Friends of Yates Ribbon Cutting 2

Updated: 11/2/2017