Victims of family violence will benefit from a new $22.5 million facility that officials broke ground on Wednesday in Midland, Texas. The new building for Safe Place of the Permian Basin will take about 18 months to complete with a scheduled opening by the end of summer 2023.
The facility allows Safe Place of Permian Basin to help double the number of people impacted by family violence by providing them a place to stay, a car, counseling and children’s programs.
“Our goal is to break the cycle of family violence and make sure that this doesn't happen to other people and especially in the communities where we live,” Director of Development at Safe Place of the Permian Basin Lee Anna Good told NewsWest9.
Safe Place of the Permian Basin was founded in 1978 by a group of citizens looking to provide shelter for residents in and around Midland who were victims of domestic violence. The organization earned nonprofit status in 1980 and purchased a two-story house that has served as the headquarters for shelter and administrative offices. A library and children’s area were added in 1996.
Safe Place operates residential shelters in Midland as well as in Odessa, Texas. The mission statement of Safe Place, according to the website, is to break the cycle of family violence by empowering individuals to make safe and healthy choices through awareness, counseling, advocacy, and shelter, while promoting hope, healing, and dignity.