The final hurdles have been cleared, and the $4.5 million expansion of Harbor House is set.

John Fitts, Harbor House board chairman, said the expansion will create a survivor-centered program facility to serve those impacted by domestic violence.

The expansion has been undertaken in partnership with the City of Kankakee. The city administration gained a $2-million Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity urban shelter grant to help this expansion.

The grant funds, gained by the state through the federal coronavirus dollars, must be spent by the end of 2026.

“Harbor House is poised to move forward with an exciting new chapter in our history,” Fitts said. “This facility serves a dual purpose: to provide a larger capacity emergency shelter and additional office spaces.”

To meet the needs of survivors, the 12,130-square-foot facility will include 12 safe and welcoming living spaces of varying sizes, more confidential office spaces, and additional collaborative program spaces—each space designed to provide privacy, dignity, and a safe place for healing.

The expansion will more than triple the square footage of the existing property, which is 5,467. The current shelter has eight bedrooms.

Kankakee-based PSI, Inc., is the project’s general contractor. Some site work has already taken place.

A transformative gift from Alex Panozzo has led to the naming of the new facility in memory of his sister, Lorena Panozzo, a devoted social worker who dedicated her life to helping others.

The facility will be known as the Harbor House Lorena Panozzo Center for Domestic Violence Services and Prevention.

Panozzo declined to state the financial gift he donated to the expansion, but when he was approached about the naming of the center in his sister’s honor, he could not have been more pleased.

“What a wonderful memory,” he said. “Lorena was socially minded. Through her I knew of the benefits of Harbor House. She wanted to provide services and help those in need.”

Jenny Schoenwetter, Harbor House executive director and CEO, noted:

“Thanks to the City of Kankakee for securing the grant and to Alex Panozzo for his generosity, we are prepared to advance the construction of the Lorena Panozzo Center. We will be guided by the thought ‘Defining Moment. Lasting Impact.’ This theme encompasses what the Lorena Panozzo Center will signify for survivors of domestic violence, our organization, and the community.”

Domestic violence remains a pervasive and lethal community crisis. Kankakee County State’s Attorney Jim Rowe, serving as Harbor House’s campaign chairman, has spoken passionately that domestic violence is the number one violent crime in Kankakee County. It is not a private, family problem—it is a community problem requiring a community response.

“Domestic violence impacts every facet of the community,” Rowe said. “And when victims have nowhere to turn, it creates a potentially lethal void. Construction of the Lorena Panozzo Center will enable Harbor House to more effectively meet the needs of the community and survivors of domestic violence.”

To date, the community has responded with gifts exceeding $1.5 million towards this effort. The campaign will continue through early summer with opportunities for participation at multiple levels.

Harbor House is the domestic violence agency serving Kankakee and Iroquois Counties. Free, confidential services include a 24-hour hotline at 815-932-5800, a 24-hour chat line at harborhousedv.org, counseling for adults and youth, support groups, emergency shelters in Kankakee and Iroquois Counties, support with the court system, connections to community agencies, prevention, and outreach initiatives.

To learn more about Harbor House services, please visit harborhousedv.org or call our hotline at 815-932-5800.