Newspaper Clipping - Newspaper Clipping (original) paper copy retained - Community welcomes women's shelter--article from Eagan This Week - 9/1/1986
CO unit
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E
welcomes
Awl
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women s shelter
The B. Robert Lewis House in- services provided by the Lewis
troduced the community to its House include emergency safe"
new facilities during a grand housing, a 29-hour crisis phone
opening celebration Aug. 28. The line, individual and group sup
open house was held 2-7 p.m. port, advocacy for women and i
The new $562,000 facility is children, information about
located on Nicols Road, between domestic abuse and referral,
Diffley and Cliff roads in Eagan. community intervention
" pro-
was previously jects, court and systems ad
The shelter
operating in a renovated single- vocacy, community education
family home bus half-mile and professional training for
t a ha
south. The shelter is a project of volunteers.
the Community Action Council. Shelter director Mary Ajax "
calls the new Lewis House a com-"
The eight-bedroom shelter can munity project. Funding came
11 It
accommodate 30 women and from a number of grants, in ~t
children and has been filled to eluding assistance from the
capacity since the July 9 occu- Dakota County Housing and
nanev. Some women have even Redevelopment Authority and a
been turned away because of Uommunny MOCK uram 11.0111 we
limited space. Much-needed cities of Apple Valley, Burnsville,
meeting rooms were included in Eagan, Farmington, Hastings, Photo by Christy DeJoy
the plans. A large room is used Lakeville, Mendota Heights,
for support groups and mothers' Rosemount, South St. Paul and CUTTING THE ribbon for the new B. 'Rot ert Lewis House are, from left, Sharon
groups, and two private rooms West St. Paul. Also contributing LaComb, president of the Community A, Lion Council (CAC) board of directors;
are available for one-on-one were several individuals and Mary Ajax, Lewis House director; and Frank Brennan, CAC executive director.
counseling, church and community groups.