Supported Accommodation & Homelessness Services Shoalhaven Illawarra (SAHSSI) has welcomed $100,000 in federal government funding for upgrades and maintenance works for its crisis accommodation and health services.
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At the Illawarra Women's Health Centre, the funding will pay for the modification of external ramps, widening of entrances, soundproofing counselling room, and installing security screens on external doorways.
Part of the money will go to the upgrade of a children's outdoor play space including the installation of new play equipment and suitable soft-fall surface at an Illawarra crisis accommodation centre.
The funding will also pay for a much-needed refurbishment of client bathrooms and internal painting work at the Shoalhaven crisis centre.
Manager of SAHSSI Shoalhaven Services Lesley Labka said her team were pleasantly surprised when their grant funding was approved.
"We are thrilled to be able to renovate a very dated women's refuge centre," said Mrs Labka.
"As you can imagine with the number of women and children using the refuge every year, it wears more quickly than what your normal family home would.
"This will make sure that our crisis accommodation in Nowra is fresh and clean and that provides dignity for the women and children using it."
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She said the refurbishment of the bathrooms could not come soon enough.
"Fairly recently we've had a pipe blow and we've had water come through the roof of the bathroom," she said.
"We're thrilled to get the renovation funding and we can't wait to start the works toward the end of the year."
The funding makes up part of a $90 million budget boost to support women and children impacted by domestic violence which was announced in the NSW Budget last month.
For confidential advice, support and referrals, contact: 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), The NSW Domestic Violence Line (1800 65 64 63) or Men's Referral Service (1300 766 491).
