By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Nearly 40 years ago, Nedda Simon of Princeton founded Freedom House to fill a need.

The services offered by Freedom House continue to grow and the program has served Bureau, Henry, Marshall, Putnam and Stark counties since 1983, providing both domestic and sexual violence services.

Recently, Freedom House opened an Outreach Office in Geneseo at 105 South Chicago St., and Diana Whitney, president of the board of directors of Freedom House, explained the reason for opening the site in Geneseo.

Trisha Schafer, manager, Outreach & Facilities, was instrumental in the opening of the Geneseo office.

Whitney said it is important to know that all services provided by Freedom House are free and confidential.

“We have an Outreach Office in Kewanee, in Cambridge and of course our main office in Princeton and we have opened other branch sites,” Whitney said. “Geneseo is an additional office designed to serve our clients in the western part of our service area.”

When asked how Freedom House came to be, Whitney said the service was founded by Nedda Simon, who was serving as a drug and alcohol counselor for women…”Some of the women would come to her Princeton office with bruises, and Nedda was not quite sure what to do until the time she was called to the hospital where she found one of her clients to be beyond recognition as she had been beaten so badly. She knew then she had to do something and she was able to open a first shelter (Freedom House) in Wyanet and the first occupants were a woman and her five children. The community generously supported them.”

It was from there that Freedom House services grew and an office and shelter opened in Princeton.

A board of directors was put together and applications for funding were established. A sexual violence program was added to the services in 1996.

Areas of service offered by Freedom House include adult support groups, advocacy/case management, counseling, domestic violence education, legal advocacy and parenting.

The main office of Freedom House is located in Princeton and includes administrative personnel, sexual violence and prevention programs in addition to a crisis center and long-term residential apartments, offering shelter to clients meeting the criteria for admittance.

Freedom house has a 24-hour hotline, 800-474-6031, which is always staffed by trained employees, and there also is website - freedomhouseillinois.com.

Whitney shared that more than 50percent of the clients of Freedom House are from Henry County, and she said, “We have an outreach site in Kewanee, but we felt it was important to head west to offer easier access for people living in that part of our service area, which is why we are now open in Geneseo.”

She said anyone seeking help can make arrangements to visit a counselor at the Geneseo office by calling the hotline number or on the website.

Whitney said an additional outreach office will open soon in Lacon, which is in Marshall County.

When I learned Dr. Mullin, Geneseo, serves on the board of directors of Freedom House, I asked him to “tell me more.” Mark Breeden, Geneseo, also is on the Freedom House board.

Dr. Mullin views being asked to serve on the board as an “opportunity,” and said, “Having served this region for 40 years as a general physician, and now eight years in interim ministry, I have had the occasion to witness multiple facets of the Geneseo community. I am proud to let people know I am from Manlius and now can claim Geneseo- because both of these hometowns have civic pride and ‘can-do’ attitudes. However, I believe that sometimes we need to walk that thin line between pride and denial. Any pragmatist will soon come to recognize that domestic violence is ubiquitous.” (widespread).As fine as a community may be, there must also be a realization that darker images can be found, everywhere.”

He added, “It follows, then, that those of us who have benefited from an association with exceptional communities, must also feel a commitment to give back to our community and, where possible, to make our communities better.”

Dr. Mullin said, “At my age, I have seen what I believe to be a much more open discussion of issues such as sexual violence, human trafficking, and inadequate parental guidance. Those dedicated to tackling such weighty problems deserve our admiration and support.”

“As to the intricacies of financial support, I can only observe that there are some wonderfully generous people, organizations, and foundations who have accepted the call to ‘make things happen’,” Mullin said.

Anyone interested in learning more about Freedom House and anyone who would like to financially support the programs, is encouraged to visit the website or contact Diana Whitney, president of the board of directors of Freedom House, 309-335-7149. Speakers also are available to share more about Freedom House services.

Freedom House staff members visit schools and meetings of other community organizations to present programs, and Whitney added, “We also do a lot of outreach as all of our services are free.”

She said a 2023 Gala is planned for May 6 at Tanners Orchard in Speer, IL, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the founding of Freedom House. More information about the gala also is available from Whitney, at the website or on face book - Freedom House Princeton Illinois.