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Renewal House in Canton gets sewer line, roof drainage issues addressed with $20,000 grant; plans to expand advocate program

Posted 9/14/16

CANTON — Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa, stopped at Renewal House, 3 Chapel St., to see infrastructure improvements that were made to the agency following a $20,000 grant. Assemblywoman …

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Renewal House in Canton gets sewer line, roof drainage issues addressed with $20,000 grant; plans to expand advocate program

Posted

CANTON — Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa, stopped at Renewal House, 3 Chapel St., to see infrastructure improvements that were made to the agency following a $20,000 grant.

Assemblywoman Russell secured the funding that was used to pay for a sewer line replacement and address roof drainage issues that were impacting the structure's foundation.

Renewal House Executive Director Ilene Burke said that the financial assistance was extremely beneficial as the agency continues to expand its services.

"The money secured for us by Assemblywoman Russell allowed us to make the much needed infrastructure improvements on our building and focus the monies we have in our budget to the delivery of services to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence in St. Lawrence County," she said.

The Renewal House director told Russell her agency is expanding its campus advocate program to provide services and training to students, staff and faculty at the four colleges in the county. The program is aimed at addressing sexual assaults, dating violence and stalking issues.

Russell said she has great respect for the work done by the Renewal House staff.

"They provide such an important service to our community by helping people who have suffered from abuse, victims that often times have been isolated from their support systems for years," she said.

"They know how to handle very difficult situations without pressuring victims as well as in the safest way possible," Russell said.

She also suggested the expanded campus advocate program will provide a valuable service to the colleges in St. Lawrence County.

"I'm pleased to see they are taking on that additional programming that serves our college communities by tackling the issue of sexual violence on our campuses. But they will also not just be there to react to problems. They will work just as hard to educate and prevent issues from arising," Russell said.

Renewal House provides a variety of services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in St. Lawrence County.

The agency served 645 individuals with domestic violence complaints and 195 individuals under the agency's sexual assault caseload in 2015.

Those 840 individuals included 606 adult females, 48 adult males and 186 children and youth.

Services include a 24-hour crisis hotline, individual counseling and emotional support, support groups, children's programs, safe housing, advocacy and community education and outreach.

For more information about Renewal House, call 379-9878 during business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The crisis hotline is available 24 hours a day at 379-9845.