The Human Response Network has a new home, although it’s still not quite homey.
Boxes are still stacked on top of boxes, desks are still being arranged and the new offices are still a few days away from having Internet connectivity and telephone service.
The agency which provides immediate help for women who are victims of domestic violence is now located in downtown Chehalis.
The move from their old location on National Avenue hasn’t been an easy one, said Executive Director Joan Caywood, but she anticipates the change in venue will be well worth it.
“We’re excited about it,” she said about the new location that will open on Sept. 1. “It will be so much better for our clients.”
Caywood said the new headquarters for the nonprofit group with the mission of aiding domestic violence victims, among others, has a tremendous upside because it’s “not isolated on the hill,” and it will also be accessible to the handicapped.
The old location had long, windy stairs that made it difficult to navigate for some. Caywood said she often had to go down to a victim’s car to talk to them because an injury they may have sustained being in a violent relationship made them incapable of making it up to the office.
Being located on Chehalis Avenue across from the Lewis County Courthouse and Public Health Department is expected to be a tremendous bonus.
Right on the bus line, the new office is more accessible, and most of the 100 clients the group serves a week will be able to get additional help from the other nearby resources.
“There’s no comparison,” said Mary Armstead, fiscal assistant for the Human Response Network, when asked to compare the old location to the new one. “Everything about this place is 100 percent better.”
And even though the building has changed, the telephone numbers have stayed the same.
The move has also been a tad easier on the nonprofit’s tight pocketbook.
“A little bit helps a lot,” Caywood said. “We’re on a shoestring budget, so every little bit (we save) means more resources we can provide.”
The Human Response Network will benefit from federal stimulus dollars that will keep them operating at the same levels for the next 18 months and provide clothing, food, shelter and transportation to domestic violence and sexual assault victims.
The agency also has a contingency plan should budgetary trouble arise afterwards.
But for now, everyone seems enthused and excited about the potential that the new building will offer their clients and the community.
“It feels like a healthier, happier atmosphere,” Caywood said.
What is the Human Response Network?
The Human Response Network is a nonprofit social service agency serving victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and other crimes.
Its services include legal advocacy, medical advocacy, emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence, support groups, community resources, crime victims compensation assistance and advocacy based counseling.
The agency has operated in Lewis County for 40 years, most recently at a location on North National Avenue.
Its new location at 125 N.W. Chehalis Ave. will open on Sept. 1
How to Get Help
The Human Response Network’s new downtown Chehalis office will be open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Fridays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Its victim advocate at the Morton Office, 125 Main St., will still be available on Tuesdays and by appointment.
A 24-hour crisis line is available at (360) 748-6601, and more information is available by e-mail at info@hrnlc.org.
Marqise Allen: (360) 807-8237
