By Tracy Agnew
Suffolk News-Herald
Special to The Tidewater News

SUFFOLK
The Genieve Shelter is expanding and is looking to the community for support in making that happen.

“We’re renovating a new shelter in the city of Suffolk,” said Mary Williams-Davis, executive director of the Genieve Shelter.

The new shelter, which will include six beds, will serve single women only. It will help free up beds in the main shelter, which still serves families, Williams-Davis said.

The Genieve Shelter does not reveal the locations of its shelters in the interest of safety for the domestic violence survivors who are living there.

The new place will help serve 54 to 70 individuals per year in addition to what the shelter already serves, Williams-Davis said. People will be able to live there for 90 days.

“There has been an increased demand of domestic violence victims, as well as homeless people receiving service,” Williams-Davis said.

She added that the Genieve Shelter serves a wide area.

“A lot of people think it’s only this part of Suffolk,” Williams-Davis said, referring to downtown, where the organization’s office is located. But it actually serves all of Suffolk in addition to Franklin, Smithfield, and Isle of Wight, Southampton and Surry counties.

“Starting over can be a painful experience when they have absolutely nothing,” Williams-Davis said. “They have to rebuild everything, not just for themselves but for their children as well.”

Folks are welcome to call 925-4365 for more information on the Genieve Shelter or to donate. People can also visit www.thegenieveshelter.org.