Peaceful Paths began its mission in Gainesville as the Rape Information and Counseling Service (RICS), a grassroots organization that was formed to fight against sexual violence. RICS established a hotline and soon began receiving phone calls from battered women. Today, Peaceful Paths has 28 employees that work together to further the mission of ending domestic violence in our communities.
The campus expansion project began in 2011 when Dr. Jay Dutton and Dr. Paul Schilling donated $1 million to purchase land and hire an architect. Using the vision of local architect Ricardo Cavallino, Peaceful Paths applied for and received a $3 million grant from the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Department of Children and Families in July 2013. The agency then selected BBI Construction Management as construction manager in October 2013.
“The impact of the campus will be substantial”, stated Dr. Beachy. “We anticipate serving 300 adult and child survivors annually in residential services. Being located next to our Outreach Offices will also ensure that these individuals make the connection to ongoing outreach services and follow up to help support them in their transition. The location of the Campus will also give greater access to local resources and be more secure.”
On Thursday, June 25, 2015 Peaceful Paths, members of the BBI Construction Management team and the Gainesville community attended the dedication and ribbon cutting for the brand new Dutton-Schilling Campus! Tim Stanley, BBI Project Manager said, “I am very excited and proud to have had the opportunity to work on the Peaceful Paths project. Bringing Dr. Theresa Beachy’s dream to a reality was very rewarding for me and the entire construction team.” Dr. Beachy anticipates that services will begin shortly after July 1, 2015.