Since preliminary discussions began in 2022, and procurement of property outside of Hopkinsville was announced last March, Sanctuary, Inc., leadership has charged full speed into meeting the growing needs of relocation.
During Monday afternoon’s Pennyrile Area Development District meeting, Executive Director Heather Lancaster confirmed those efforts were still on schedule — as she offered the first-ever public look at 3-D architectural renderings of the future home for the domestic violence assistance and non-profit organization.
A construction RFP and potential loan package from the USDA need still to be procured, she added, but a roughed-in estimate of $4-to-$5 million is expected to be the remaining price tag for a facility that removes the “bells and whistles,” and instead puts victims and their families inside of a safe, gated and private setting — complete with conference rooms, living spaces, greenery and a generally more positive and fruitful environment.
Lancaster shared a harrowing quote from a recent victim, and it serves as one of the many reasons why leaving their current spot will be a good idea:
“My abuser sends me pictures of my car outside the Sanctuary to remind me that he knows my every move. I know he does this to intimidate me and to make me fearful of my surroundings.”
Other reasons include…
+ The confidentiality and safety of the services:
+ The current building is an 1800’s model, in dire need of repair:
+ And current limited green space:
The new property, Lancaster added, had to remain close to health care options, grocery stores, job opportunities, schools and other facets of daily life, and that completion of a feasibility study — coupled with advice from local and regional law enforcement and first responders — helped Sanctuary’s Board of Directors come to a cohesive conclusion.
From July 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025, Sanctuary, Inc.:
+ Provided more than 15,000 shelter bed nights
+ Served more than 130 children with safety and support groups
+ Completed more than 1,100 counseling and therapy sessions
+ Answered more than 1,350 crisis calls
+ And connected victims to more than 900 medical and legal advocacy services
At this time, a timetable for a groundbreaking has not been set, but that could soon change, as Sanctuary, Inc, serves all of the PADD’s nine counties.
