Mitchell Area Safe House announces name change, new facility to open in 2023

Hunter Dunteman, The Daily Republic, Mitchell, S.D.
·2 min read

Dec. 4—The Mitchell Area Safe House will operate under a new identity and will embark on a $5.5 million funding campaign, the organization announced at Friday night's annual Not a Silent Night event.

The organization will rebrand itself to become Safe Place of Eastern South Dakota, a change intended to indicate their services are available to a wider net of individuals.

"We hope that becoming Safe Place of Eastern South Dakota will make it evident that we are a regional resource for individuals who experience domestic violence," said Ashley Hobbs, the organization's director of development. "We serve an eight-county region, with services ranging from housing to advocacy to parenting classes and much more."

Hobbs estimated that the organization has served nearly 300 survivors of domestic violence and abuse over the past year, a number that has increased in recent years.

Safe Place of Eastern South Dakota also announced they will embark on a $5.5 million capital campaign to improve and expand their facilities, programming and operations.

FROM MAY: Mitchell's Safehouse eyes new $4 million facility to keep up with demand

In October, the organization received a Community Block Grant from the Governor's Office of Economic Development for $2.02 million, which is planned to partially fund the construction of a new housing and office facility, expected to open in late fall 2023.

The remaining $3.5 million goal in the capital campaign will go toward construction, programming and moving and transition costs.

The new facility will be located at the intersection of North Kimball Street and East Green Drive in Mitchell, officials announced at the event.

"This new facility will allow us the space we desperately need to better serve our clients," Hobbs said. "It is a location that is convenient to many services that they need."

For the rebranding and capital campaign projects, Safe Place ESD will partner with Innovative NonProfit, a Mitchell-based agency focused on helping nonprofits and institutions of higher education thrive.

Safe Place ESD provides emergency shelter facilities, transitional housing and advocacy services for adults and children who have experienced domestic abuse, sexual abuse or human trafficking.

The organization also manages the Family Visitation Center, a secure, supervised environment where children can spend time with a noncustodial parent with whom there has been a history of domestic abuse.