 On November 7th, 2013, Kim Williams coordinated with organizations from the community hosted a Public Safety Fall Festival for our clients. Participants included the Bulloch County Sheriff Department, the Statesboro Police Department, the Statesboro Fire Department, Bulloch County EMS, and James “Bubba” Revell provided the food for the event. The families enjoyed a giant blow up slide and bouncy house, as well as a cookout style dinner for the evening. Thank you to all of the participants for hosting such a fun night! The event was a great way to form a sense of community as well as keeping our families informed on the latest safety practices.
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Members of the Ogeechee Technical College Chapter of NSLS hold fundraiser for Safe Haven!11/13/2013  The Ogeechee Technical College Chapter of Leadership and Success (NSLS) held a fundraiser in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. A Portion of their proceeds were donated to Safe Haven. We appreciate the members of NSLS for thinking of Safe Haven and for helping raise awareness about Domestic Violence.
 In October 2013, Safe Haven opened it’s doors to a new program called the Rapid Re-Housing Program. It is designed to help those who are homeless transition into permanent housing. The primary goal is to stabilize a program participant in permanent housing as quickly as possible and to provide supportive services after the family or individual obtains housing.
This program is based on the “Housing First” approach to ending homelessness in America. It serves as an alternative to the system of emergency shelter and transitional housing progressions that we currently follow. Rather than moving homeless individuals through different “levels” of housing, known as the Continuum of Care, Housing First moves the homeless individual or household immediately from the streets or homeless shelters into their own apartments. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reported that 83 percent of formerly homeless or about-to-be homeless people who were put into rapid rehousing were still stably housed two years after their subsidies ended. Other agencies report similarly high rates. Safe Haven is very excited to be implementing this new program and we look forward to many success stories in the future. FACT: According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, domestic violence is the third leading cause of homelessness among families.   The Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office, headed by Sheriff Lynn Anderson, is a wholehearted supporter of the mission of Safe Haven and strives for ways to serve the women and children assisted by the organization. In October 2013, deputies working the Kiwanus Ogeechee Fair were approached by Faye Bush and Mike Inman, site managers with Amusements of America which provide the rides and attractions for the Fair. Bush and Inman indicated that they wished to provide donated items to the families supported by Safe Haven. Spearheaded by these two Good Samaritans, employees with Amusements of America provided boxes of diapers, clothing, toys, and cash donations which were turned over to Safe Haven staff. Sheriff Anderson would like to thank Faye, Mike, and all the employees of Amusements of America who gave of their time, effort, and money in collecting the donations.
Safe Haven would also like to thank Amusements of America for collecting these donations as well as the Bulloch County Sheriff’s office for helping organize the donation drop off. Without the support of the community, we would not be able to do what we do here at Safe Haven!  To say the 2013 Dancing with the Statesboro Stars Event was a success is an understatement! Through the selfless time of dedicated individuals and the giving hearts of the community, Safe Haven was able to raise over $80,000 dollars to help better the lives of victims of domestic violence.
Thank you to all of the participants for dedicating your time and energy into fundraising and putting on an incredibly entertaining show! We would also like to thank the members from the community who attended the event, as well as for your humble generosity to help aid in the successful futures of the clients of Safe Haven. We truly could not do what we do without you! If you were unable to attend the event or would like to relive the magic, you can purchase a DVD for $10.00! Contact Safe Haven for details. 912-764-4605 *Photo Credit: Lori Grice Photography |
