Harbor House announces campaign to construct a new survivor-centered program facility.

John Fitts, Chair of the Harbor House Board of Directors, announced the plans to proceed with a $4.5 million project to create a survivor-centered program facility to serve survivors of domestic violence.

“In partnership with the City of Kankakee and the $2 million grant they are managing on our behalf,” Fitts stated, “Harbor House is poised to move forward with an exciting new chapter in our history. This facility serves a dual purpose: to provide a larger capacity emergency shelter and additional office spaces.”

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Harbor House Responds to a Community Crisis

Domestic violence is a pervasive, lethal community epidemic and public safety crisis. Nationally, more than two-thirds (68.2%) of mass shootings have a domestic violence connection (1), confirming that domestic violence is not a private, family problem, but a community problem. Domestic violence is the number one violent crime in Kankakee County, according to State’s Attorney Jim Rowe. 

Harbor House annually serves about 600 adult and youth survivors, answers more than 3,500 hotline calls for help, and provides about 8,000 nights of shelter at the Kankakee facility to families fleeing violence. 

However, in fiscal year 2025, our emergency shelter was unable to provide refuge to 730 requests for shelter due to lack of shelter space. Furthermore, our need to support residential and non-residential survivors has been crippled by our lack of confidential, trauma-informed space for our professionals to assist survivors. 

While we do everything possible to connect survivors with care, it’s clear we need more room to offer the safety, dignity, and healing environment every survivor should have. 

That’s why the Lorena Panozzo Center is the answer. Together, we will create a safer, stronger community through a larger domestic violence emergency shelter and increased confidential office spaces.

Sources:
(1) Injury Epidemiology Journal, 2021

hear from jim rowe read the case for support

Four Key Service Areas in the Lorena Panozzo Center

The Lorena Panozzo Center is intentional and strategic. After extensive research and site visits, Harbor House and contractors created a survivor-centered, trauma-informed floorplan with the vision of safety, healing, and collaboration. Read on to learn more about the areas within the Lorena Panozzo Center.

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Professional, Confidential Programs Area: Behind these doors, survivors find support. For the first time for many, they are not told what to do, but asked what they need. This area includes, but not limited to, offices for counseling, legal advocacy, case management, client advocacy, and more.

Thomas and Maureen O’Connor Family Foundation Group Healing Area: A space where everyone is welcome and no one has to feel alone. They can connect, heal, and grow side-by-side with fellow survivors. Spaces included here are the children's playroom, living room, recreation room, kitchen, and more.

Family Shelter Area: The large and small family units are where children play during the day and dream at night. Families can gather in apartments filled with gentle routines, warm meals, and the quiet comfort of safety. 

Individual Shelter Area: Within these walls, silence is peaceful, not punishing. Survivors are able to have their own room to rest, reflect, and rise again.

 The Defining Moment, Lasting Impact Campaign is a historic milestone in Harbor House history, survivor stories, and community future. This dream is quickly becoming a reality thanks to community philanthropy and advocacy. 

“The greater Kankakee community has a long history of identifying needs and investing in the solutions,” says Yvonne Chalfant, Harbor House’s fundraising consultant. “The legacy of families like Charlton, Small, Brandenburg, Schneider, Strasma, and others has modeled for this community what it means to meet community needs. Their philanthropic leadership has helped us create the community we enjoy today. Now, it’s our time to follow their example.”

Download our Defining Moment, Lasting Impact Campaign Booklet today to learn more about this great need and how we, as a community, are creating a lasting impact!

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