The nonprofit held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new center, located at 3050 Bonnie Brae St., Oct. 27. (Rendering courtesy Denton County Friends of the Family)
The nonprofit held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new center, located at 3050 Bonnie Brae St., Oct. 27.
“In this partner services building, we're going to have law enforcement who can help with any criminal cases that might be filed, the district attorney on-site ... and then other partners providing those supportive services that folks need for stability,” Director of Strategic Initiatives Dani Shaw said. “[It’s a] comprehensive site with a collaborative community response to making a safer future for our survivors.”
The impact
Denton County Friends of the Family was founded in 1980 and provides services such as:
Emergency shelter
Counseling services
Transitional housing
Advocacy and legal assistance
Crisis intervention
Battering intervention and prevention
Having all of these services in the same location will make the process of seeking help easier for survivors.
“Since the idea of this project, there's been more than 30 people who've been killed as a result of domestic violence,” Shaw said. “We want to stop that from happening, and so that's an important part of why we're doing this.”
The new center will bring all of the nonprofit's services to one location. (Rendering courtesy Denton County Friends of the Family)
Looking ahead
Construction of the complex will be completed over the next five years, Shaw said.
The emergency housing buildings will be built first and are expected to be completed by December 2026.
