The Crisis Center, Inc. in the final phase of its fundraising campaign to support the construction and furnishing of a new safe shelter to service survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
The service organization, founded in 1979 and incorporated in ’81, supports victims in Riley, Pottawatomie, Geary, Clay and Marshall Counties as well as Fort Riley. Since incorporation 40 years ago, Crisis Center, Inc. has operated its safe shelter out of a 90-year-old home.
Seeing a need for a better facility to meet the community’s needs, the organization under former Executive Director Judy Davis began exploring its options. Five years later, the project is set to wrap up in the summer of 2022.
Current Executive Director Kathy Ray joined Monday’s Greater Manhattan Community Foundation Community Hour on KMAN. She says a concept design for a new 7,000 square foot shelter was completed in 2019 and land was purchased for the project thanks to a donation of $200,00 from Jim and Susan Koelliker. Ray says initial projections put the total price tag for the project at $1.8 million.
“We are impacted, like everyone else, through this nationwide shortage of materials and goods and the rising cost of construction materials,” Ray says. “Our original numbers were based on 2019 estimates. Fast forward to today, we did have to increase our campaign goal to $2.75 million and we are so close to reaching that goal.”
The Crisis Center website shows donations have reached the $2 million mark.
Ray says their goal is to not create a sterile-feeling environment and are considering furnishing and decorative possibilities to create a warm, inviting and healing space.
“So we’re seeking funds for things like art for the walls from local artists,” says Ray. “Things that highlight all of the wonderful things about our community — things like the Flint Hills, the Konza Prairie, beautiful sunsets.”
Donations are being accepted at various individual and group levels. Certain giving levels can furnish a whole room, and those who donate in that tier will be recognized with a plaque outside of the room their funds decorated.
“We are implementing a number of ways to not only thank our donors — people who have already donated and our major supporters,” “Without their support, none of this would have been possible. We wouldn’t be where we are today without them.”
Ray says they’re working on adding additional donation information on the new Crisis Center, Inc. website, located at thecrisiscenterinc.org. Additional donor recognition will be featured in an artistic donor wall piece to be installed at the center’s administrative office.
Also be on the lookout for the Crisis Center, Inc.’s newsletter, which launches 2022. Further information on the “Building Hope & Safety” capital campaign can be found online here.
