LeVino Jones Medical Interiors was presented with an opportunity to collaborate on a project for DeKalb County called the Family Protection Center.
The project included providing a safe place for victims of sexual assault (women and children), domestic violence, elder abuse, and similar crimes. These services were being provided in disparate locations around the county. The new location would allow victims to be aided, interviewed, and ultimately provided therapy to help them on the road to recovery and ultimately assist with the legal process against a perpetrator.
A location on the campus of the DeKalb County Police and Fire Department became available in 2013. LeVino Jones was able to provide full service interior design services to help bring this concept to reality. The new Center officially opened in May, 2015, has separate waiting areas for women and children, private interview rooms, a sexual assault examination room, and monitoring room. The facility also includes office space for the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy (GCCA) as well as offices for the Department of Family and Children’s Services, the District Attorney, Special Victims Unit, and other service providers involved in the process. The main design concept was to create a center that was cheerful, functional, and inspire hope and confidence. LeVino Jones worked closely with GCCA staff and DeKalb County officials, overcoming the challenges of budget, and county planning and construction parameters.
Once all those challenges were overcome, it became obvious that there was little funding left for furniture. In the absence of a furniture budget or allowance, LeVino Jones solicited interest and donations from commercial furniture vendors and essentially completed the project with mostly donated, mostly new furnishings, artwork and equipment. There are 3 “Teddy Bear” walls that provide stuffed animals for child victims; one entire wall of teddy bears was donated by the contractor, Craftsman Business Interiors.
We are very proud to have been a part of this collaborative project that will be making a difference daily in the lives of the victims of abuse and proud to be associated with generous caring vendors, suppliers and contractors who chose to make a difference as well.
