DASAS takes ownership of emergency shelter

Domestic and Sexual Abuse Services officials announced the agency now owns its emergency shelter, Hillmann House.

Since launching the emergency shelter in 1986, DASAS leased the building from the First Presbyterian Church of Three Rivers for a nominal fee of $1 per year. Executive director Krista DeBoer said the church’s act of generosity empowers DASAS to take ownership of its efforts and create a sustainable shelter for survivors to find a safe haven.

Ownership solidifies the agency’s ongoing commitment to the community, as it will continue to be a place of temporary protection and support for survivors escaping sexual assault and domestic violence.

DASAS expects to begin a capital campaign to renovate the building, allowing for an expansion in services so it can break the generational cycle of abuse for thousands of survivors and children, DeBoer said.