Southwick House is moving forward with its plans to revive emergency services for women in crisis.
The agency, long known as Plumb Place, recently got two sets of good news: all court processes, including receivership, are completed and the board has access to funds previously on hold since Plumb Place ended operations in December 2020. Board member Joelle Spotswood, a guest on KVOE’s Morning Show on Wednesday, called it a hopeful time for the board.
Plumb Place served women for almost a century through emergency shelter, transitional housing, case management, life skills training and therapy groups, but it couldn’t overcome the disappearance of over $50,000 in funds, combined with the first nine months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Spotswood says the tentative initial plan calls for a smaller operation than what Plumb Place offered when it finally closed.
Basic shelter is the starting point — but from there, Spotswood expects an expansion of services — and not just to women. Conversations continue with the goal of helping women with children, families and, possibly, pets. Discussions have also been underway for months about how many houses could be part of the overall agency, but the goal now is to have one home for centralized operations. Social media and an overall rebranding effort are also underway at this time.
Board members have a “homework session” ahead to determine the qualities needed in an executive director, but Spotswood says experience with fundraising and grant writing, as well as public relations, will be on the list. The goal is to have a new director by late summer.
Residents wanting to help Southwick House can call Spotswood at 620-794-9692 or email jspotsw1@jccc.edu.
