New Single-Family Shelter

As time passes, Friendship Home continues to expand. We’re excited to announce that we just opened a new single-family shelter in the community, increasing our ability to house survivors in domestic violence situations!

Opening a new unit is no simple task, and certainly not one that’s done alone. First and foremost, we wouldn’t be able to have these units without the help of the Lincoln Housing Authority (LHA). LHA has partnered with Friendship Home for years now and has been vital in making sure that we have safe and comfortable units available for survivors. LHA has our sincerest gratitude for all the work they’ve done in helping us continue our mission.

There is also the issue of paying for a new unit. Anyone who’s ever paid for an apartment knows that it comes with plenty of costs that add up quickly. Thanks to the VOCA grant, we are able to pay those bills so that during their stay in emergency shelter, our survivors don’t have to worry about finances. Thank you to VOCA for offering funding and believing in what we do and thank you to our Grants Coordinator and Finance Team who works tirelessly behind the scenes to get those grant proposals sent out on time!

But what else goes into getting a unit ready? When a new survivor moves in, we want them to immediately feel at home. Friendship Home is beyond lucky to have community volunteers who offer up their own personal time to come in and help decorate our units so that they don’t feel like a shelter—they feel like somewhere a person can live comfortably.

Lastly, we can’t talk about preparing a unit without mentioning our Facilities team. Our Facilities team works long hours to furnish our units, get them into tip-top shape, and make sure they’re stocked and ready to go before a survivor even steps foot in the door.

Opening a new unit is never an easy task, but it’s work we are more than willing to do, and work we do with pride. When a survivor enters emergency shelter, it is our goal not only to get them safe, but to empower them to take back agency in their lives. This all starts with providing them with a space they can thrive in. Between our communal shelter and our single-family community units, Friendship Home is striving every day to give our survivors a taste of home while they work on their next steps. We are so, so grateful to be opening this new unit! Every new door we open is another life saved.

Thank you to all our staff that made this happen, thank you to our volunteers, and thank you to YOU for all your support. We can’t wait to see where the future takes us and are excited for you to walk alongside us as our agency continues to grow.