Sanctuary, Inc. was established in 1982 as a 24-hour crisis counseling center, and it has since grown to offer a wide range of resources for domestic violence survivors. At Monday’s Pennyrile Area Development District meeting, Sanctuary Executive Director Heather Lancaster announced the nonprofit’s plans to relocate.
Sanctuary provides healing and support services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault across the nine counties of the Pennyrile region. Lancaster says the idea to relocate Sanctuary was first mentioned in 2022, as the current facility is limiting the care they can provide.
She says the current location is quite public, and impacts the level of confidential care they offer, the building is old and repair costs are increasing and it offers limited green space and play areas.
Lancaster says a feasibility study was completed and multiple areas were vetted before Sanctuary’s Board of Directors approved a land purchase for the relocation in March 2025. She says they looked into the new location’s proximity to grocery stores, green spaces, healthcare, public transportation and work opportunities before the purchase was approved.
Lancaster shared a rendering of the facility, which is ADA compliant, and it includes different sized shelter rooms to accommodate families, a designated parking lot with a security guard, separate facility wings for residents and non-residents and an on-site sexual assault forensics exam room.
Before construction begins, Lancaster says they need to review their current request for proposals concerning construction services and ensure their financial security. She says they have not launched a donation campaign to support construction, but when they do, she hopes the community will help support their mission.
Lancaster says the facility’s construction is projected to cost around $4 million and $5 million, but she’ll have a better idea of the amount once they have a construction management service on board.
Photo courtesy of Sanctuary, Inc.