ORNL Federal Credit Union is making room in one of its buildings for a state-funded agency that helps combat abuse of children, domestic partners and the elderly.
The Anderson County Family Justice Center (ACFJC) will lease space at a building owned by ORNL on Broadway Avenue in Oak Ridge, about a mile northeast of the credit union's headquarters.
The east Tennessee credit union ($2.7 billion in assets, 181,497 members) is donating furniture, furnishings and improvements worth about $60,000 and is leasing 3,800 square feet of the 13,000-square-foot building at a below-market rate, Jessica Emert, a spokeswoman for the credit union, said. "And, at the end of the lease, the ACFJC has the ability to purchase the space at a very reasonable cost," she said.
The credit union said it is furnishing the agency's space with desks, workstations, internet, signage, ADA-compliant bathrooms and railings on the exterior of the building.
"The Family Justice Center will make things better for victims and our community as a whole. This would not be possible without the inspiring generosity and community commitment of ORNL FCU," 7th Judicial District Attorney General Dave Clark said.
ORNL has owned the building since 2000. After improvements in other locations were complete in 2017, employees located at Broadway were moved and the space was used for storage.
The Family Justice Center is one of 13 in the state funded by a July 2019 state grant designed to provide safe, convenient locations to help victims of abuse break the cycle of violence and become thriving survivors.
It offers free and confidential resources to victims, working with 15 local organizations, including the YWCA, the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, and the 7th Judicial District Attorney General's office. Services include law enforcement, mental health, legal assistance and temporary housing.
The original grant provided funds for the District Attorney's office to hire executive director Melissa Miller. A second grant awarded Feb. 1 allows for the non-profit to lease office space to accommodate two additional grant-funded positions, as well as provide space for employees of partner organizations when it opens in July.
ORNL FCU President/CEO Colin Anderson said the credit union originally became involved with Attorney General Dave Clark's efforts to increase awareness of elder financial abuse.
"When we learned of his involvement with the ACFJC, we immediately recognized the potential for an even greater partnership. This facility is conveniently located for all of the ACFJC services and we look forward to a long-lasting relationship," Anderson said.
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Jim DuPlessis
Jim covers economic data trends emerging for credit unions, as well as branch news and dividends.
