New domestic violence shelter opens in St. Albans to ease overflow

Read the full article at wcax.com. Below is an excerpt:

Every year, 500 new people use services to help them through incidents of domestic and sexual violence in Franklin and Grand Isle counties. However, shelters are running out of room, so a new space is being opened to hold the overflow.

“There’s such a generational cycle of violence here because people aren’t given the tools for safety. They’re not given the tools around healthy relationships, healthy boundaries, consent,” said Shannon McMahon of Voices Against Violence.

McMahon grew up in Highgate. She says she’s seen firsthand the cultural challenges that make domestic and sexual violence so prevalent in her community.

“The intersections of poverty, rural isolation and the way our society sees domestic and sexual violence,” said McMahon.

The pool of victims has grown so large that all Grand Isle County and Franklin County shelters are full. With no room in hotels and motels, the organization had to act. With the help of the Champlain Housing Trust, Queen City Development and the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity, Voices Against Violence is opening up a new shelter in St. Albans.

“We had a need and they were able to make it happen in record time. It’s been pretty incredible,” said McMahon.

The shelter is called Safe Roots Healing Collective. It will be able to house seven more families and serve as a space for survivor and community healing. It has places for kids to play, a corner to make art and common spaces for survivors and their families to gather.

“When folks finally rest, they’re processing a lot. We want them to be able to do it in a safe place. We want their children and them to feel supported. We want to help folks understand what parenting after trauma looks like. We want to help them thrive,” said McMahon.

The shelter will open to survivors on Feb. 14.