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Local dignitaries and business leaders, along with staff, board members, and volunteers of the Open Door Women’s Shelter, all gathered on Friday afternoon (May 2) for the official groundbreaking of the shelter expansion.

The plan calls for an additional 3,000 square-feet which will add 15 more beds, two family bedrooms,  a six-bed dormitory, and two large bathrooms. There will also be a gathering space, a large kitchen where two families can work at the same time, a small office, a conference room with a library, a toy space for kids, computer workspaces for adults and another laundry room.

In all, the shelter will be able to provide a total of 24 beds. But as Laurie Stewart, executive director of the shelter, said, it is still not enough. “I recently pulled up the figures for calls in 2024, and we received 288 enquiring about shelter,”  she said. “Of those, we had to tell 149 women with 183 children that we didn’t have a bed for them. Even with the addition, we know we couldn’t have accommodated that many, but we know we are headed in the right direction, and this shelter expansion is necessary. We need to be able to say we have no available beds less often. This is the first step for sure, and we are very excited.”

Sally Love, president of the Open Door Women’s Shelter board of directors, expressed her gratitude to the entire community for its support over the last couple of years. “I’m very excited that today has finally come,” said Love. “It is wonderful after two some years to see this all fall into place. This happened because a lot of people came together, dug in, and did their jobs. It is a first step, as we continue to address the problem of homelessness in our community.”

Mayor Donald Sadler told the gathering that this day represents more than the start of construction of the new shelter expansion, but marks a renewed commitment to hope and safety for women and children in the community. “This expansion will allow us to serve more families, offer more resources, and create a stronger foundation for healing and empowerment,” said Sadler. “It reflects our values as a city, which are compassion, dignity, and action. You are building more than just walls, you are building futures. 

Local contractor Brad Horton has been hired to do the work. If all goes according to plan, the expansion is expected to be completed by January or February 2026.