DALLAS — For so many, the February winter storm that left so many Texans crippled under the bitter cold won't be forgotten.
That's true for a family shelter known as Sally's House, run by The Family Place, which was left destroyed by the historic storm.
The shelter is a special place for battered women and children across Dallas.
"They had fled an unsafe place, chaos,” explained Paige Flink, the CEO of The Family Place.
But during the winter storm, chaos surrounded them again. Cell phone video from inside the facility showed flooded floors and room after room strewn with insulation.
“All over the building, you can hear screaming, 'the ceiling fell in,'” Flink recounted, describing how water gushed inside and the roof caved in at the shelter.
“There was water standing knee deep in this facility," she remembered.
Now, after nearly five months, the facility has finally reopened and is ready for move-in.
“This 21-year-old building has had an amazing facelift!” Flink exclaimed.
There was a special dedication ceremony on Wednesday afternoon, during which Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson stressed the importance of re-opening the shelter to give families somewhere to feel at home.
“It’s very important, where you take the family to make sure the kids feel comfortable, that the women feel comfortable and that they feel safe,” Johnson explained.
Johnson said he made it a mission to get the shelter reopened as fast as possible, especially since Dallas police call Sally’s House when they see a family in need during the toughest times of their lives.
“Just because this place is down for a moment, it doesn’t mean they stay down,” Johnson said.
Families are expected to move in Friday.
Anyone who needs help can call their toll free number at 214-941-1991.