The Knox City Council gave Mayor Rick Chambers the authority to sign the Coalition Against Domestic Abuse grant contract last week. The Office of Community and Rural Affairs grant was for $424,000, with a 10 percent match from CADA, making the total $471,000. The money is to be used to extend the garage at the Phoenix House, an abuse shelter in Knox.
CADA President Ruth Matsey said yesterday that the extended area will also house a conference and counseling room. The grant has been worked on for four years by the Kankakee-Iroquois Regional Planning Commission after the Phoenix House sustained major water damage due to flooding.
Territorial Engineering has been preparing the blueprints and another session is scheduled for today.
The Phoenix House took in its first family in 2001. Those who qualify can stay up to 24 months, but must work on becoming more independent so when they move out on their own they are more able to support themselves and their families.
Matsey said all of the grant money must be used on the building program. Another grant has been lost, putting funds at a low level. She did say that fund raising efforts are being considered at this time.
