 The United Way of Bemidji hosted its first quarterly meeting of 2019 and has decided to give support to a local non-profit. Our newest reporter, Malak Katab, has the story. Women United kicked off their breakfast series by announcing their first service project of the year. The Northwood-Battered Women's Shelter has been in its current facility since 1979, and Women United has been aware of their needs for an expansion and for a new facility. We're really just trying to help them raise these money for their capital campaign, for matching grant funds or hiring a planner, and really help them launch into a great campaign. Women United is a program of United Way where women can come together and get involved to make a difference in their community. During the meeting, a PowerPoint was shown of the current living conditions of the current Women's Shelter facility. Currently, the Northwood-Battered Women's Shelter can only house 12 people at a time. They hope that after the new facility is built, that number will increase. Right now it's very communal living, and it's only four bedrooms. And what we'd like to see is something that's going to be more accommodating, more comfortable, more healing for people that are coming to our shelter. So far, 30 percent has been raised from their $30,000 goal. So that budget is $30,000 to hire an architectural firm to act as a consultant to say this is what we need, this is what it's going to look like, this is where it's going to be, and this is the budget you need to build it. The Northwood-Battered Women's Shelter will focus on their capital campaign for the next three to four years. We're extremely appreciative of the support. I mean, I don't know that we would feel like we could actually make this become possible without community support like this, because we can't do it alone as a small agency. Reporting in Bemidji, Malacca, Taube, Lakeland News. If you enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland PBS.