Photos by Jamie Handy
Texas Governor Greg Abbott, as well as Ft. Worth Mayor Betsy Price, Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and Grapevine Mayor William D. Tate, were on hand to celebrate the grand opening ceremony of The Gatehouse Community in Grapevine.
Today's events included a ribbon cutting for the 61-acre supportive living community for women and children in crisis, which includes apartment complexes able to house 96 women and 135 children, counseling centers, a general store, playgrounds, a childcare center and a chapel.
The Gatehouse, which will accept its first families in April, will allow members to stay up to 21⁄2 years depending on their individually tailored program and will offer the accountability members need to seek freedom from the past and hope for the future. During members' stay, the faith- based Independent Life Program will provide housing, transportation, child care, food, clothing, education, employment guidance, medical care, counseling and life skills mentoring, uniquely without government funding.
Gov. Abbott commented on the importance of facilities and programs such as The Gatehouse coming from the grassroots level—that solutions for issues such as domestic violence do not always come out of Washington, D.C., or Austin. “When you see something like this generate a level of excitement as this did we do hope it serves as a catalyst for other Texans to create something like this in other places throughout the state.”
Clearly one of the proudest moments in Lisa Rose's life, the unveiling of The Gatehouse today is not just a culmination of events for the community advocate. As Founder and Board President of the project, she recognizes this is just the beginning.
“This is something that is much bigger than us and that has to last much longer than us,” Rose says. “But it is because of you all that are here today that we are able to open our doors to the women and children who so desperately are in need of a hand up.”
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