Gateway Domestic Violence Center launches campaign for new shelter

By B.J. Williams

At an annual celebration gala Friday night at the Chattahoochee Country Club, officials with Gateway Domestic Violence Center announced a capital campaign to raise money for a new emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence.

Gateway Executive Director Jessica Butler said board members and volunteers have known for several years that the agency needs more space to serve women and children.

“We found out a couple of years ago that the owner of our property needs it back, so we’ve been quietly making plans over the last few years to acquire a new shelter,” Butler said. “We also know that the space we’re in right now just isn’t large enough to serve our community.”

Butler pointed out that the current facility was built some 35 years ago at a time when the local population was 80,278; Hall County is now home to 193,535 people. That growth means more cases of domestic violence – and more women that need a safe place to live.

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