Family Advocates, Inc.

2023 Third Quarter News

The Idea

The Plan

The Construction

"Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress;

working together is success."

--Edward Everett Hale

 

From October of 2019 to September of 2021, Family Advocates received 393 calls for shelter that could not be met due to the shelter being at capacity. Family Advocates had reached a point where not only had the emerging need for services outgrown our capacity but also the need for additional safety, security and privacy for victims had surpassed our limitations.

 

Minor renovations over the years kept the agency providing assistance to families in a limited capacity, but the Board of Directors and Staff at Family Advocates recognized the need for a more permanent solution. Fund development and grant writing became crucial components of our strategic plan to gain the critical funding needed to build a new shelter.

 

Then on March 3, 2022, Governor Tony Evers telephoned the City Manager to announce Family Advocates had, in fact, received a 3.5 million dollar grant to build a much needed, new shelter through the Wisconsin Neighborhood Investment Fund with support provided by the American Rescue Plan Act. This is where our journey began. 

 

Family Advocates forged several community partnerships in order to break ground and launch the construction of the new shelter at 305 Eastside Road in Platteville. The City of Platteville has stayed with us throughout the journey as the fiscal agent for the grant through the State of Wisconsin Department of Administration. Family Advocates had numerous negotiation meetings with Platteville City Council to obtain zoning compliance and building permits.

 

Delta 3 Engineering and Epic Construction have been with Family Advocates since the inception of the idea to build. Both have been instrumental in the progress of our new building site and shelter.

 

As you can see, pictured above, the building shell is erected and inside construction is underway. The exterior siding and grounds development continues to take shape. We are excited at the expected completion date to be in mid-February.


The current usable footage at our shelter is 4,000 square feet in a two story building which is not conducive to handicap individuals.  The floor plan of the new building is over 13,000 square feet that is entirely handicap accessible and provides safe, secure and private areas for victims and families to heal.

 

 

 Community Engagement

 

October was Domestic Violence Awareness Month

 

In 2022, over 101 victims lost their lives due to domestic violence in Wisconsin. In the month of October, Family Advocates did a social media campaign to raise awareness and remember those individuals. If you would like to learn more, please see our Facebook or Instagram pages.

 

Purple ribbon is the awareness ribbon for domestic violence, so our staff placed purple ribbons at several businesses throughout Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Counties.

 

Pictured right are Melissa Kelly and Norma Grinnell at a booth for Sweet Treats on Main to raise awareness. They passed out purple merchandise to parents and purple and teal jelly bellies for the trick or treaters!

Special Project

 

Family Advocates ask to join

Special Project for Wisconsin

 

Family Advocates was asked to partner with Project Respect through the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) Enhanced Collaborative Model Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking.

 

Paula Schoenberg, the outreach services director for Family Advocates, will be taking on the additional role of Human Trafficking Case Manager for Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Counties. In her role, she will identify victims of human trafficking; maintain a victim service network; convene coordinated community response meetings, and provide intensive case management services. Additionally, Paula will provide regional facilitation for Vernon, Crawford, Richland and Green Counties to conduct strategic outreach to victim service providers in those areas.

 Community Support

 

Legacy Leaf

 

Family Advocates will launch a Legacy Tree campaign by installing a three-dimensional stainless steel tree in the foyer of the newly constructed shelter. Donations to this Legacy Tree will support children and victim centered programming at our new facility. The three-dimensional tree has names engraved into a leaf to honor donors or remember loved ones.

More Information
Buy a Leaf

Come Join Us!

Iowa County Support Group

Tuesdays from 2-3 PM

Iowa County Office | Family Advocates

305 North Iowa Street, Dodgeville, WI

Contact Paula

 

Youth Support Group | Adult Support Group

Mondays at 5 PM

Grant County Shelter | Family Advocates

250 North Court, Platteville, WI

Contact Kira for Youth | Contact Norma for Adult

 

Lafayette County Teen Support Group

Tuesdays from 4-5:30 PM

Lafayette County Social Services Building

2nd Floor, Darlington, WI 

Contact Stephanie

 

SWTC Healthy Relationships Group

Wednesdays from 11:30-12:30 PM

College Connection Building 400

Office 462, Fennimore, WI 

Contact Stephanie

 

Healthy Relationships at UW-Platteville

Mondays from 4-5 PM

UW-Platteville | Royce Hall 226

Contact Paula

 

Board of Directors

Terri Fugate, Southwest Health

Aaron Cullen, Honkamp Krueger & Co.

Kris Fleming, Lafayette County Circuit Court

Nancy Olson, Retired Platteville Schools & PFRC 

 

Jennifer Miller Kass, Southwest Health

Dennis Cooley, Southwest Technical College

Sheila Ruchti, Community First Bank

Geri Zauche, Potterton Rule Real Estate

"Keeping Children and Families Safe in Our Communities."

250 Court St, Platteville, WI
608.348.5995

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