LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A vital service provider in southern Indiana is getting a brand new space after a fire destroyed its old office.

On Tuesday, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held for the new Family & Children's Place in Jeffersonville.

"Family & Children's Place is so excited that we have finally moved into our new office location here in Jeffersonville, Indiana," explained Pam Darnall, president and CEO of the organization. "We have been providing services right here in southern Indiana for over 30 years."

But on Dec. 20, 2020, the organization faced a new challenge when its previous location was destroyed in a fire. That fire gutted the building at the corner of East Court Avenue and Spring Street in downtown Jeffersonville, which housed Family & Children's Place, as well as several other businesses.

"We did continue serving families, despite the fire, for the entire year, but being back into a new space just really helps solidify for the kids and families that we serve that this is the space," Darnall said. "It's taken us a year to find a nice location that would work for families and staff. And we've been serving families here since about February."

That new location is at 1 Quartermaster Court, near the intersection of East 10th Street and Meigs Avenue, in Jeffersonville.

"It's about 40 percent bigger than the prior space," Darnall said. "And so we have two of our best-in-class services right here. One of our child advocacy centers — and that's where we help children and youth who have been hurt by child sexual abuse or human trafficking. We have medical services for those kids. We also have one of our mental health counseling teams here." 

And she said they don't ask the children too many questions about the past — they only point them to the future.

"We are not here to judge what brought them here," Darnall said. "We are here to help them feel comfortable so that we can help serve them in the way they feel best and meets their needs."

And she said she's certain the need for the organization's services isn't going anywhere.

"Even though the data shows the number of child abuse reports declined over the pandemic, we know very well that child abuse and neglect did not stop," she said. 

For now, Darnall said she's just glad Family & Children's Place has a new place to call home.

"There's just nothing like being back and having our space — our dedicated space — Family & Children's Place, right here in Jeffersonville," she said. "So we're very excited."

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