A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to appropriate funds to the family violence prevention center (interact) to renovate the Oberlin Road YWCA in wake county.
Whereas, Interact of Wake County is the County's primary provider of programs and services to victims of domestic violence and their families, including emergency shelter to those escaping violence and abuse; and
Whereas, the dramatic population growth in this region has resulted in Wake County having the fewest number of domestic violence shelter beds per capita of any domestic violence shelter in the State; and
Whereas, the expanded capacity made possible through this appropriation will make it possible for Interact of Wake County to have facility space sufficient to absorb, as needed, domestic violence victims and their families in need of emergency shelter space from surrounding counties, as well as from counties all across the State when natural disasters necessitate evacuation; and
Whereas, Interact's vision for its new facility is to create a model for the provision of programs and services for these victims so that all such agencies across the State may benefit in providing for the needs of the citizens of their community; and
Whereas, Interact has already received substantial support from Wake County, and is actively seeking support from the City of Raleigh and all municipalities within Wake County, as well as from federal sources, toward the $5,000,000 needed for the acquisition, renovation, and equipping of the new facility; and
Whereas, support for this effort is coming from individuals, foundations, and corporations as well as public sources for this effort, called The Campaign for a Safe Place; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to The Family Violence Prevention Center, Inc. (Interact), a nonprofit organization, the sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for the 2007‑2008 fiscal year to retrofit and renovate the former Oberlin Road YWCA building in Wake County to expand its services to victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2007.