Southwick House has hit the halfway mark of its $3.6 million capital campaign for a new transitional housing facility following the announcement of a recent state grant award.
According to a news release from Southwick House, Director Susan Brinkman was informed the agency had received an $800,000 Community Facilities CDBG award through the Kansas Department of Commerce earlier this month by Kansas Senator Mike Argabright. The award will be put towards bringing a new 9,000-square-foot transitional housing facility to Emporia, fundraising for which has been underway since the late half of 2024.
Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) awards are sponsored by local municipalities, in this case, the Lyon County Commission, to benefit projects that provide assistance to help “low- to moderate-income neighborhoods thrive.” These projects can include infrastructure updates, the construction of community facilities, youth job training programs and more.
In the previously mentioned news release, Lyon County Commission Chairman Ken Duft extended the county’s gratitude to Southwick for their “Ongoing dedication to enhancing the quality of life for all residents of Lyon County.”
Southwick Executive Director Susan Brinkman extended her gratitude to the state and county for their assistance in securing the grant calling it a “Significant piece of fundraising” for the agency. Southwick Board President Jeremy Dorsey added the funds will “funds significantly further our mission to bring back transitional housing services to Emporia and our surrounding communities.”
Southwick hitting its halfway point in fundraising will help keep previously stated plans for the start of vertical construction by late this year on track.
Southwick House is building on the transitional housing foundation Plumb Place used to serve women in crises for 100 years before it ended operations at the end of 2020. The Southwick House model is different because it allows families as large as four people or single parents to have a stable setting for relaunching their lives.
More information about Southwick House and its mission is online at southwickhouse.org.
