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A rendering of a future shelter for domestic violence survivors in Orem is depicted. (Courtesy The Refuge Utah)

Courtesy The Refuge Utah

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A rendering of a future shelter for domestic violence survivors in Orem is depicted. (Courtesy The Refuge Utah)

Courtesy The Refuge Utah

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A rendering of a future shelter for domestic violence survivors in Orem is depicted. (Courtesy The Refuge Utah)

Courtesy The Refuge Utah

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The Refuge Utah, a local organization that supports victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault, will break ground on a new emergency shelter in Orem in October.

The program said the campus will be a “significant step forward” in helping survivors of the public health crisis in the community.

More than a quarter of all cases of homelessness are related to domestic violence, making it the leading cause of homelessness in Utah County, according to The Refuge. The organization said it had to turn away 450 requests for shelter requests last year because it lacked the space.

“This project represents hope,” The Refuge Utah Executive Director Ashlee Taylor said in a news release. “Every additional bed means another survivor and their children can escape abuse, find safety, and begin healing. Our community has the opportunity to ensure that no one seeking refuge is turned away.”

Since The Refuge Utah was founded in 1984, the organization said the population of its service area in Utah, Wasatch and Juab counties has tripled, yet the capacity of its emergency shelter has remained at 25 beds.

The shelter will include 138 beds with flexible spaces for families, and 12 additional units of transitional housing. The campus will also have a services center, providing onsite therapy, advocacy services, children’s programming and educational support classes.

Lyndsey Hackford, a board member and domestic violence survivor, said the services provided were life-changing for her.

“It’s one of the reasons I’m here today,” she said. “When shelters are full, survivors don’t stop needing services, they just stop being visible.”

The organization is  launching a capital campaign to raise funds for the new facility. Anyone looking to support the project or to learn more is asked to contact Cristina Pianezzola at cpianezzola@therefugeutah.org or visit The Refuge Utah website.