Under One Roof

by Bonnie Shearer

The concept for “Under One Roof” started with a meeting in June of 2004. Karen Kearney called some of us together to discuss the need in the Northeast and West Central neighborhoods for a place similar to Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery.

Karen cited the many cases where very young children are severely injured or killed while under the care of a non-relative/non-professional caregiver. Unfortunately our neighborhood sees more of this type of events than other areas of the city. These caregivers have included boyfriends, casual friends, people who just happen to live next door.

After many many discussions where ideas were put on and then removed from the table, only to be added again……we are now ready to lay out the direction we are heading.

During the daytime house ‘Under One Roof” will serve as a gathering place and information outlet for women in the area. One on One and small group sessions will be available through several of the participating agencies. In the evening hours and through the night Under One Roof will be staffed by volunteers from the community and graduate students from our local universities. During these hours the doors will be secured and entrance will be on an ‘as-needed’ basis. Our concern is that there needs to be somewhere safe and secure to put a solid object between the women and the threat.

“Under One Roof’ will not be an over-night facility, we cannot not offer a place to sleep, but women and children in need of assistance can stay with us and be safe until transportation to another facility or contact with Law Enforcement can be arranged.

LeaAnna Benn, the director of ‘Teen-aid’ had been graciously donated the use of an apartment at ‘The Station House,’ 3020 E. Queen. SPOC (Support for Parents Overcoming Challenges) has taken on the lead non-profit roll. Dan Ruddell from DSHS is a very important man to us, he is writing grant applications!

In the future we are hoping to have adequate funding to rent an additional apartment from and will utilize that area as a classroom and when there is a need for privacy.

Keller-Williams Real Estate: “KW Cares” program has selected “Under One Roof” as their 2005 project. LeeAnn Reiter told us that they will not only provide the labor and supplies for clean-up and repairs, they will also provide Furnishings!!!

All donations to this project must be directed to SPOC of Spokane, earmarked for ‘Under One Roof.’ SPOC offices are located in the Northeast Community Center, 4101 N. Cook, Spokane, WA 99207.

We hope to be ready to open in August 2005, this is dependant on finding and training paid and volunteer staff members and having adequate funding to sustain operation until grant monies come through.

If you are interested in volunteering at or just learning more about Under One Roof, please send an e-mail to Bonnie Sherar (put Under One Roof in the subject line). A background check will be done on all volunteer applicants.