Safe Harbor, Inc. :: A Safe Home, When Home Isn't Safe

About Safe Harbor, Inc.

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History
Mission
Beliefs
Services
Programs
Brochure
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Brief History of Safe Harbor
In late 1978, after efforts from a broad-based community task force, the shelter for battered women and their children was established under the auspices of the Family Counseling Center of Greenville, Inc. with funding from the community and the Department of Social Services. In 1994, Family Counseling Center announced its intention to transition out of the provision of residential services and asked for organizations that were interested in continuing the shelter to step forward. It was atthat time a "grass roots" effort was begun to insure the continuation of shelter services and Safe Harbor, Inc. was born.

Safe Harbor, Inc. is a private, non-profit agency founded in 1994 specifically to provide services tovictims of domestic violence and their children.On July 1, 1995, Safe Harbor, Inc. assumed responsibility for the shelter from Family Counseling Center.

In 2002, Safe Harbor, Inc. received a donation of a home in Anderson County to be converted into a second shelter. Safe Harbor II opened its doors February 27, 2003.

Safe Harbor, Inc. provides a 24-hour a day, 7 day a week, year round crisis line and emergency safe shelter for victims of domestic abuse. Professional counselors, paraprofessionals, and trainedvolunteers provide direct assessment, support, counseling, and case management to assist thesevictims of violent crime with relocation, employment, and other professional services as needed during their residency at the shelter. Other Safe Harbor services include victim advocacy for clients going through family court, hospital emergency room victim services, and educational programs in Greenville County high schools that teach students about domestic violence and promote healthy dating relationships. Speakers are also available for any church or civic group interested in learning more about domestic violence. Safe Harbor also maintains a group of volunteers who provide many client services and outreach into our community.

Safe Harbor, Inc. currently employs 15 full time staff, and part time staff as needed. We have over 200 volunteers. Our funding sources include the United Way, government contracts and grants, and community donations. The shelters generate no revenue through fee for service, therefore, volunteer and community support are needed for the existence of this service.

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Safe Harbor Mission Statement
To provide temporary safe shelter for victims of family violence
and their children.

To train and educate the general public, parents and children, and
professionals who deal with victims and perpetrators of domestic
violence.

To coordinate a sustained effort to alleviate the escalating and
devastating problem of family violence in our community.

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Safe Harbor Beliefs
We believe that the safety of family violence victims and their
children must always be a top priority.

We believe that the escalating and devastating problem of family
violence deserves a strong, singular voice to coordinate and
collaborate with community efforts toward shelter, counseling,
legal assistance, health care and social service systems.

We believe that breaking the intergenerational cycle of abuse is so
crucial that the entire community must collaborate in educating
parents and children to end the perpetuation of this tragic pattern.

We believe that services to treat batterers must be an integral part of
a comprehensive family violence program.

We believe that an independent Board of Directors, operating a free
standing shelter would best be able to maintain community support,
attract optimum funding and meet the needs of victims of family
violence.

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Safe Harbor Services

Crisis Counseling ::: The shelter telephone number is a hotline that is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for crisis calls, counseling and information.

Emergency Shelter ::: We operate as an emergency shelter for abused women and their children who need a safe place to go. The maximum stay is 45 days. Entrances and exits are controlled and the house is staffed 24 hours a day. The police respond quickly to our calls.

Basic Necessities ::: The shelter provides food, laundry facilities, and toilet articles for all residents. A supply of donated clothing is maintained for those residents who arrive with only what they are wearing and little else. All of these services are provided to the residents free of charge.

An Emotionally Supportive Environment ::: The shelter offers a nonjudgmental atmosphere where residents can plan their futures. Staff and volunteers listen to the women, encourage them, believe them, believe in them, and let them know they are valuable people who do not deserve abuse. In addition, residents support other residents. Many express intense relief and gratification that others share their problems that they are not, after all, alone.

Counseling ::: When a woman enters the shelter, she is assigned an individual counselor who will work with her on her counseling needs and goals during her stay at the shelter. Also, while residing at the shelter, the woman is expected to participate in the full shelter program. This includes evening support groups, individual and family counseling, and living skills educational groups. The shelter employs one licensed professional counselor, one master's level counselor, and one bachelor's level counselor, who provide all counseling services and groups. These services are all free of charge for Safe Harbor clients.

Emergency Room Advocacy ::: Shelter Volunteer Advocates and staff are on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to answer calls from emergency room medical staff when battering is the cause of injury. These volunteer advocates play a vital roll in crisis intervention and education for abused women.

Referral Services ::: Shelter staff helps provide access to doctors, dentists, attorneys, personal and family counselors, alcohol and drug counselors, and agencies and groups which can help them reach their goals.

Advocacy ::: Shelter staff work on the behalf of residents. Examples of advocacy include: encouraging apartment managers to rent to the residents, seeking free or low-cost legal assistance, enlisting assistance of the police, accompanying residents to Family Court Emergency Hearings and/or Criminal Court Domestic Violence hearings.

Children's Services ::: The children of the residents are provided with an opportunity for recreation and developmental activities. They are also included in family counseling.

Community Support Groups ::: Support groups for victims of domestic violence are available for women who want these services but do not need shelter, and for continuing support to women who have been in the shelter. Groups are also available for court ordered batterers.

Educational Prevention Programs ::: Programs have been written and approved by the Greenville County School District which are designed to educate our local high school students to recognize domestic abuse and abusive behavior in dating relationships. As students are shown the characteristics of healthy and unhealthy relationships they also learn positive and non-violent methods of conflict resolution.

Community Education ::: Speakers are available to discuss a range of topics including sessions about the dynamics of family violence, the services and needs of the shelter and training workshops for professionals who come in contact with victims and perpetrators of domestic violence including law enforcement officers, medical professionals, educators and members of the judicial system.

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Current Programs at Safe Harbor

The Megan Project
The Megan Project is a proactive relationship violence prevention curriculum developed and administered by Safe Harbor, Inc. Created in memory of 18-year-old Megan Ridgeway who was murdered by her boyfriend, The Megan Project works to end abuse among teens. The curriculum focuses not only on the issues of dating violence, but also on healthy relationships, self-esteem, communication and other subjects crucial to young people. It works to instill an understanding of the difference between controlling behavior and love. And it uses the education system - and other youth educational organizations like youth groups and girl scouts - as a forum to deliver this anti-abuse message.

Harbor Run
The Harbor Run is Safe Harbor's certified 8K road race and 2 mile fun run/walk/pooch parade, and is taglined "The Upstate's Race Against Domestic Violence." The race course begins at County Square before weaving through scenic downtown Greenville, the zoo area and finally Cleveland park. The 4th annual Harbor Run was held in May, 2005 and drew an impressive 300 participants. The event is not only Safe Harbor's largest fundraiser, but also serves as a great outreach tool for the agency. The event is family friendly and includes a children's play area, flowers and t-shirts for all participants, food & drinks, and lots of fun door prizes. The event is also a reminder of the cause participants are supporting; we set up Safe Harbor's Clothesline Project, which is a visual display of shirts with graphic messages and illustrations designed by survivors of violence or by someone close to a woman killed as a result of violence. The purpose of the Project is to increase awareness of the impact of violence against women, to celebrate a woman's strength to survive and to provide an avenue for her to courageously break the silence that often surrounds her experience. The Harbor Run's combination of awareness and awareness always make for an exciting event. Please join us Mother's Day weekend 2006 for the 5th annual Harbor Run!

Christmas Adopt-a-Family
Safe Harbor's Adopt-a-Family program provides Christmas gifts for the women and children who have received services from our agency within the previous year. Community participants adopt a family from Safe Harbor, while each client creates a wish list of three items as a guide for the community adopter. Once the gifts are collected by the "adopter" and dropped off at Safe Harbor, we distribute the presents to their repspective recipients so they will have packages to open on Christmas morning. In 2004, we provided gifts for a record 420 people, thanks to the overwhelming support of our community Adopt-a-Family participants.

Cut It Out: Salons Against Domestic Abuse
Cut It Out is a program of the Salons Against Domestic Abuse Fund dedicated to mobilizing salon professionals and others to fight the epidemic of domestic abuse in communities across the United States.The program builds awareness of domestic abuse through posters and brochures to be displayed in salons and trains salon professionals to recognize warning signs and safely refer clients to resources. Cut It Out was initially created for the State of Alabama by The Women's Fund of Greater Birmingham. It was taken to the national level by the Salons Against Domestic Abuse Fund, a partnership between Clairol Professional, the National Cosmetology Association, and Southern Living At Home.

Minister's Cook-Off
Sponsored by the Coalition for the Understanding and Reduction of Relationship Violence, the Minister's Cook-Off is a tasty way to raise money for Safe Harbor II in Anderson. Ministers from area churches cook up their favorite dishes and sell "tastes" to attendees to raise money. The judging panel traditionally includes Renee Middleton, Executive Director of Safe Harbor.

Holiday Fair
The Holiday Fair is an extravagent annual craft show held at Greenville's Palmetto Expo Center. Safe Harbor's booth traditionally features various crafts made by shelter clients, volunteers and staff. The event is an annual fundraiser for Safe Harbor but also a tremendous outreach opportunity. In each person's shopping bag we include Safe Harbor brochures and coupons for the Hope Chest. The craftmaking is a therapeutic and enjoyable experience for the women, as well as a festive way of raising money for the shelters.

The Clothesline Project
The Clothesline Project is a program started on Cape Cod, MA, in 1990 to address the issue of violence against women. It is a vehicle for women affected by violence to express their emotions by decorating a shirt. They then hang the shirt on a clothesline to be viewed by others as testimony to the problem of violence against women. Safe Harbor's Clothesline Project is a display of shirts designed by the agency's clients or by individuals close to a woman in the upstate killed as a result of violence. It is displayed at many of Safe Harbor's fundraising events, such as the Harbor Run and the Vagina Monologues at Clemson and Furman Universities each February.

Safe Cell
Ever wonder what to do with an old cell phone you no longer use? Why not donate it to a good cause? To date, Safe Harbor has collected 1,300 cell phones through our 911 SAFE CELL program to distribute to Safe Harbor clients exiting the shelter. Any cell phone, as long it will hold a charge, is capable of calling and connecting to 911. As a client moves on from the shelter, she is provided with a cell phone from which she can call 911 in the case of an emergency. Safe Harbor continues to collect phones, chargers and batteries at the Hope Chest, Safe Harbor's resale store, located at 2111-J North Pleasantburg Drive in Greenville, SC.