GREAT FALLS — Peace Place (website) is moving its facility from the First Presbyterian Church to 519 Fourth Avenue South, just south of downtown Great Falls.
The respite care facility for young children with developmental disabilities has outgrown their old location having been reliant on a waitlist for some time now. With this new building, they expect to accommodate roughly double their old capacity, around 30-36 total children.
At this juncture, the building’s amenities will include a sensory room, gym, therapy room, offices, an indoor play space, and more. Peace Place is seeking the generosity of the community in help raising further funds for its upstairs level, and an outdoor play space, which in total will cost roughly $300 thousand. Funds will be used to construct a staff kitchen, admin offices, a break room, conference room and an on-site laundromat.
“The child-care shortage and teacher shortage, specifically with neurodiverse needs, is at an all time high. It's at a critical rate right now,” says Director of Operations Louisa Libertelli-Dunn.
The facility will be tailored in such a way that is accessible to children with varying needs.
“If you're in a wheelchair, if you're in a walker, if you're in augmentative wheelchair, if you have mobility issues, hearing issues, sight issues, this entire building is going to be your space,” says Libertelli-Dunn.
“When they're here, it'll be designed just for them. The lighting will be for them. And the noise cancelation will be for them, and it's just customized to them,” says Director of Administration, K.C. Beall.
The site is projected to open its doors by the end of March 2024. Click here to visit the website.
TRENDING:
