DeKalb Township proclaims Sexual Assault Awareness Month as Safe Passage outlines $5M building plan

Mary Hess, supervisor, read a proclamation recognizing April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month and invited representatives from Safe Passage to present on the organization's services and an ongoing capital campaign.

Rebecca Versluis, executive director of Safe Passage, told the board the nonprofit operates a 24/7 hotline and shelter, provides counseling, medical and legal advocacy, and runs transitional housing and prevention programs in schools. "So, we start by believing, and we believe that everyone deserves a life free from violence," Versluis said, summarizing the organization's survivor-centered approach.

Versluis described operational limits at the current shelter—five bedrooms, two bathrooms and constrained common space—and said Safe Passage serves roughly 900 clients across programs annually. The group is conducting a capital campaign to build a larger, trauma‑informed facility. A Safe Passage representative said the organization has pulled in "a little over $2,000,000" from community sources and submitted a HUD grant request for approximately $2,500,000; they said additional fundraising and a construction loan are in process.

Christy, a Safe Passage representative who outlined campaign logistics, said the new building is planned to be about "14,000 plus square feet," mostly one story with some basement/storage space, and that the initial occupancy would be roughly 30–32 beds with flexible room configurations to expand if needed. She said the current shelter address will remain confidential until the new facility opens, but Safe Passage will post a small sign at the new site and invite board members and the public to tour the new space when appropriate.

Trustees asked logistical questions during a Q&A: how many beds the new facility would have (the organization answered 30–32 initially), the timeline (soft ground-breaking took place Dec. 5, 2025; construction start is awaiting contractor scheduling and financing), and whether Safe Passage will sell existing properties (yes, representatives said buildings will be sold as operations consolidate). Versluis and Christy asked the board and community to consider capital contributions and offered to provide fuller presentations on the campaign.

The board also shared a short Safe Passage video highlighting client needs and the shelter's limitations. Supervisor Hess and other trustees thanked the presenters and noted Safe Passage is a recipient of township human-services funding.

The board did not take any formal funding action at the meeting; Safe Passage's fundraising status, grant application and construction schedule were presented for the board's information and potential future support.