Women’s Resource Center breaks ground on new facility
PETOSKEY — After 47 years, the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan is starting a new chapter in its mission to strengthen and empower women and families across Northern Michigan.
That new chapter started with a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday to launch the Empowering Bright Futures initiative, a transformative project that will see the Women’s Resource Center move into a new, centralized location.
The new location will be at 2225 Summit Park Dr. in Petoskey, the former home of St. Michael High School.
“It will be replacing our current facility. We’re in a rental space right now, so both of those will be consolidating into this space,” said Gail Kloss, executive director for the Women’s Resource Center. “We will be having the Women’s Resource Center’s administration, children’s learning center, children’s advocacy center and our domestic violence and sexual assault services there, so all of our therapy and advocacy.”
The current timeline calls for 8-10 months of construction and remodeling at the site.
“The total goal for our capital campaign is $5 million,” Kloss said. “We know that we’re going to need a playground for our children’s learning center and probably a little bit more furniture because we are expanding the space that we have.”
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The project will be mostly funded through donations and grants. Kloss said the groundbreaking served as the launching point for the public phase of the donation campaign. Anyone interested in donating can go to wrcnm.org for more information.
The Women’s Resource Center will continue all of its current programming and services, but the new larger space will also allow it to provide even more opportunities to the local community.
“We will be expanding our preschool program,” Kloss said. “We know that child care is a barrier for many people in our area to enter the workforce, so this facility will be able to serve an additional 23 students. Then our children’s advocacy center, that has been getting quite utilized and we will be doubling our space for that.”
Along with Women’s Resource Center staff and leadership, city officials, community members and others gathered to celebrate the Empowering Bright Futures initiative and tour the building on Tuesday.
“What started in 1977 by a small group of women and $165 in collected donations has grown to be one of the largest, most comprehensive professional women’s organizations in Michigan. Programs and services have grown over the last four decades to meet the needs of the community and to be a reliable resource for women and families,” said board president Annette Eustice during Tuesday’s ceremony. “I am grateful to be a part of this exciting time in the history of the Women’s Resource Center. I hope all of you will celebrate this reconstruction. This building will allow us to consolidate services now offered across our counties and to expand those services to ensure that all women and their families are provided the resources they need to carry on safe and productive lives.”
— Contact Jillian Fellows at jfellows@petoskeynews.com.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Women’s Resource Center breaks ground on new facility in Petoskey
