A small shelter offering a temporary haven for Native American women seeking to escape domestic violence has just six weeks to find a new Rapid City home.

"We're just kind of shell-shocked," Karen Artichoker, manager of Cangleska, said.

Cangleska's Ohitika Najin Win Oti (Standing Strong Woman) shelter has lost the lease on the home it has used as a shelter for the past seven years.

"We've talked with Realtors but have found nothing suitable," Artichoker said.

The shelter is currently housed in an eight-bedroom home in a neighborhood that is zoned light commercial, Artichoker said. Four full-time advocates work at the shelter.

"We've always appreciated that a private owner was willing to allow us the use of a home," she said.

Artichoker said losing the property comes at a time when Cangleska was planning to a launch a capital campaign to build a new, larger facility in Rapid City.

The shelter's original intent was to provide transitional housing for women leaving the reservation for their own safety, Artichoker said.

Over the years, a growing number of local Native American women have sought refuge in the shelter. The average stay for a mother and her children is about 19 days. The shelter always has a waiting list, Artichoker said.

"About 35 percent of the women at the shelter are Rapid City women," Artichoker said. "The rest are coming from out of state or out of the area."

Cangleska is looking for a facility that can provide children with a private place to play and can be easily adapted to ensure the safety and security of its residents.

At this point in the search for new quarters, finding a something that meets zoning requirements is a priority, she said.

"Zoning is more critical than size right now," Artichoker said.

Because Cangleska's projects are supported with grant dollars, resources are limited. Artichoker said there is not much money available for renovations to get a facility ready.

"Our resources are limited; if they weren't, we'd have a bigger operation in Rapid City," she said.

Anyone interested in assisting Cangleska with their search can call Karen Artichoker at 455-2290 or Ben Artichoker at 303-913-3365.

For more information about Cangleska and its programs, go to www.cangleska.org.

Contact Andrea Cook at 394-8423 or andrea.cook@rapidcityjournal.com