Construction is about to begin on the Center for Prevention of Abuse’s new emergency domestic violence shelter in Pekin.
The nonprofit social services organization held a groundbreaking Friday for a rebuilt Carol House of Hope on a 1.8-acre property on 2nd Street acquired from the City of Pekin two years ago.
“A community is measured not just by what it builds, but by who it protects. Today, this community is choosing to protect, to support and to stand alongside those who need support,” said Carol Merna, CEO of the Center for Prevention of Abuse.
Merna said their new Pekin facility will increase shelter capacity by 75% over the previous Carol House of Hope, allowing them to offer enhanced therapy services in a more accessible location, and bolster their efforts to reduce human trafficking.
“This building is about more than beds. It’s a place of healing, a place of restoration, and a place where someone can walk in during the worst moment of their life and begin to imagine a future,” said Merna. “For the first time, we will also be able to bring more of our services under one roof, creating a microcosm of our main campus in Peoria.”
A spokesperson for CFPA says the organization has been saving money for years to pay for the Pekin shelter, but additional community support is needed amid industrywide rising construction costs.
A capital campaign seeking donations for the project has raised 45% of its $5 million goal so far. The project also received a $10,000 forgivable loan from a tax increment financing [TIF] agreement with the city.
“This beautiful rebuilding will house 28 beds, helping even more women, children and families in need,” said Pekin Mayor Mary Burress. “But even more, this building will have therapy interviews, helping get to the bottom to the problem of solving some of their biggest issues.”
The Carol House of Hope started in the 1980s when Dr. Pete Nelson and Barbara Wright donated their medical practice facility to be used as a shelter, named in honor of their daughter who died in a car accident. CFPA took over operation of the shelter in 2011.
“Our current shelter structure in Pekin has quietly served this community from a building that’s more than 100 years old. Within those walls, there’s been courage, survival and the first steps toward healing for countless individuals and families,” said Merna.
“Last year alone, of the more than 12,000 shelter nights provided by the Center for Prevention of abuse, more than 3,300 of them were provided at Carol House of Hope.”
Merna said the Pekin facility will stand as a “microcosm” of their Peoria campus, as they strive to remove barriers for those seeking safety and assistance.
“Today, we acknowledge something very important: those we serve deserve more,” she said. “They deserve a space that reflects their dignity. They deserve safety that meets today’s realities, and they deserve comfort, privacy and space to begin again – and that is exactly what this new shelter represents.”
Weather permitting, work on the new building is expected to begin as soon as next week in hopes of an opening by the start of 2027.
