OKLAHOMA CITY — A crowd gathered in Midtown Oklahoma City Friday to witness the groundbreaking ceremony for Palomar’s new $42 million family justice center, a cornerstone project of the MAPS 4 initiative. The ceremony marked a pivotal moment for the organization that has served more than 29,000 survivors of domestic violence and provided more than 300,000 essential services since its inception.
“This is a huge day for survivors,” said Kim Garrett Funk, founder of Palomar. “Today marks a new chapter and a bold step forward.”
The ceremony was attended by city officials, community leaders, partner agencies, and survivors themselves, all celebrating this milestone achievement.
The new 73,000 square foot facility, which will more than double Palomar’s current space, will be a major expansion of the family justice center first created by the Oklahoma City Police Department and Funk. The center will continue its mission of assisting victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, elder abuse, human trafficking, and children exposed to trauma.
Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt spoke on the importance of this project within the broader MAPS 4 initiative.
“This project is emblematic of MAPS 4 which is very much about human issues, neighborhood issues,” Holt said. “Seventy percent of the dollars (in MAPS 4) go to things like this. Out of a $1.1 billion package, this city and these voters who passed this by 72% are very much wanting to make a different kind of commitment to our quality of life.”
The expanded facility will feature services including 24-hour victim assistance, therapy and trauma treatment, acute medical services, comprehensive child services, educational programs, a food pantry, and other wrap-around services.
Four flags marking the corners of the site represented the footprint of the future building, which will be located near Palomar’s current center.
The ceremony highlighted the critical need for such services in Oklahoma. One in two women and two in five men will be sexually assaulted or experience domestic violence, Garrett Funk said.
“It’s a mother who just gave birth yesterday but knows it’s not safe to go home,” she said of the clients. “It’s an 80-year-old man being financially exploited by his caregiver. It’s the child who is sexually trafficked, sold for money by her own parents.”
Perhaps the most powerful moment came when survivor Tara shared her story. Shot eight times by an ex-boyfriend in 2022, she found healing through Palomar’s services.
“When I came to Palomar, I was anxious. I didn’t know what to expect,” she said. “I was met by a navigator who made me feel safe, comfortable, heard and most importantly, believed.”
The new center will include features such as a client shop offering fresh food, clothing and supplies, pet-friendly accommodations that include dog kennels and a cat room, a community training center and partnerships with universities to hold college classes on site.
In August 2022, Oklahoma City Council revised the MAPS 4 Implementation Plan, increasing projected revenue estimates by $100 million to $1.07 billion, further enabling projects like Palomar’s new center.
As the ceremony concluded, attendees were invited to write messages of encouragement on bracelets that will be placed in the building’s foundation.
“This isn’t just a building, it’s a message,” Garrett Funk said. “A message to families that we’re committed to your safety and healing, and a message to children that your future can be brighter than your past. This space says you are safe and you are not alone.”
