Home on the Horizon (SHFS Newsletter Q4 2022)

This time of year, we think more about home and what that means, a place of family, gratitude and hope. For many families experiencing homelessness, Safe Haven is the path that leads to home.

For 38 years, Safe Haven has kept its promise of keeping families together. Safe Haven focuses on providing the foundation of home - helping families obtain affordable housing and providing case management, workforce development, children’s education/ enrichment programs and connecting families with community resources.

With your help and support, Safe Haven has served 341 families. And thanks to our incredible housing partners, we have been able to find stable housing for 120 families. More than just numbers, these stats represent home, stability and often safety for families.

While we continue to work with families on a path that leads home, we know that challenges continue to increase. A lack of affordable housing, increased prices in basic necessities like food and gas, and lasting effects of the pandemic have worsened the plight of vulnerable families. Safe Haven, now more than ever, needs your help as the need for services is rising in our community. The need has increased from nearly 300 families asking for assistance in 2021 to over 450 families in 2022. Your support will ensure that families will have an answer in Safe Haven. Your gift helps us keep families together and helps provide a place to call home.

am so thankful and appreciative that Safe Haven was there in our time of need—we could not have asked for anything better.

Stepping Up for Success

NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADULT EDUCATION

Jennifer Jones, Employment Navigator

programs also include dinner and childcare for the families in the program. Laptops are provided for use during the program, and each student who graduates from the program receives a laptop of their own. We are planning a graduation ceremony for our first class!

For the families we serve, the lack of a completed high school education can limit opportunities in the workforce. Many of our families wanted to take HiSET classes, but it was often difficult to find availability with the teacher shortage in Davidson County. Removing this significant challenge would open doors for our families, so I decided to earn my Teacher Certification to provide these muchneeded classes. I work closely with Workforce Essentials, Inc. on the classroom curriculum, which offers a non-traditional classroom setting with hybrid learning.

I launched the inaugural ‘Step Up with Safe Haven’ program in October with five families enrolled. The program provides HiSET classes in addition to job training opportunities and career exploration, and we invite our corporate and higher education partners to speak at our program sessions. We focus on the families and overcoming barriers. Our weekly

This is an incredible program for our families and may be the only one of its kind in Davidson County. “This is one of the best programs I’ve ever been a part of. It has helped me with my life in so many ways,” said Jessica, a student of the Step Up program. “This program has helped me be more confident in myself, build stability, and overcome obstacles. It’s like we are all a family. I am close to my classmates, and I know that I can lean on them any time. Jennifer [Jones] is optimistic, outgoing and flexible with schedules. Having childcare in the class has helped me overcome a previous barrier to obtaining my HiSet. I know that if I can count on anyone, it will be Jennifer to help me reach my goals. I’m so much more confident than I’ve ever been because of this Safe Haven adult learning program.”

Safe Haven Housing Team Impact

WAYS YOU CAN HELP OR BECOME A HEARTS FOR HOMES HOUSING PARTNER

Brittney Brown, Housing Director Safe Haven’s housing team is finishing the year with a projection of housing more families than ever. This speaks volumes to the hard work of our housing team and our wonderful housing partners. While we are working rapidly to stabilize families in a home, this has been the most difficult housing climate we have ever seen. Affordable housing in Nashville is becoming increasingly difficult to find. We need more housing partners to join us in this endeavor.

If you or your network includes individuals with affordable rental properties, we would love to continue to build our portfolio of affordable housing partners. For more information about becoming a Hearts for Homes housing partner, please contact me, Brittney Brown, at bbrown@safehaven.org

This program has helped me be more confident in myself, build stability, and overcome obstacles. It’s like we are all a family ”

JESSICA, A STUDENT OF THE STEP UP PROGRAM

Children’s Volunteers Bring Learning and Joy

THROUGH SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES

Hope Hodnett, Youth Program Coordinator

Volunteers and donors play a key role in our Children’s Program by helping to provide academic support and enriching experiences. One example is our recent ‘Reverse Trick or Treat’ event held for Safe Haven families. Volunteers from the Junior League, Safe Haven Young Professionals Council and more dressed up and knocked on doors to deliver some Halloween treats to Safe Haven families.

Another example is our Back to School Supply Drive. Through donations of almost 8,000 back to school items, children and youth in Safe Haven’s program were ready to start school with the supplies they needed. Safe Haven’s incredible volunteers organized, packed and distributed those school supplies to nearly 170 elementary, middle and high school students!

We are so grateful for our community of donors, volunteers and community partners who provide this support to our Children’s Program.

Group Volunteers Tackle Large Projects for Great Impact

Kayla Willie, Volunteer & Community Relations Manager

Safe Haven is fortunate to have group volunteers from corporations, schools, civic groups and faith communities that can take on large projects to further our mission.

Last month, HCA did a fantastic job of coming out to touch up the mural that surrounds the shelter. This mural was created by artist Andee Rudloff eight years ago and was painted with the help of HCA volunteers back then. It was very special that HCA volunteers were the ones who could help touch it up for us! They really made it look so much brighter and more inviting for our families. The sweetest moment was

when we were able to invite some of the children in the shelter to come out and paint with the volunteers.

A group of high school students from Pope John Paul II Preparatory School helped us prepare for the Hike for Safe Haven. In an hour and a half, these students rolled and labeled almost 1,000 t-shirts that were given out to hikers and donors!

On an especially cold day in November, more than 100 volunteers came out to help make the 18th Annual Hike for Safe Haven a great success! We appreciate your time and support!

Vaco staff and their families recently brought holiday joy to Safe Haven. Decorating the

shelter and small trees for families’ rooms has been an annual tradition for over 16 years. Thank you for making the season bright for our families!

If you are interested in volunteer opportunities, please email me at kwillie@safehaven.org.

Dancing to New Heights

We enjoyed every step, twirl and lift of the 13th Annual Dancing for Safe Haven event held on May 21! This year, we set a new onenight fundraising record, soaring over our previous goal. Presented by Community Health Systems and Southwestern Family of Companies, the event paired six Nashville notables with professional ballroom dancers who competed for Audience Favorite, Judges’ Favorite, and Fundraising Favorite. Thank you to our amazing star dancers who took the dance floor to help raise money and awareness for Safe Haven: Leisa Gill, Kindal Jumper (Audience Favorite), James Marsh, Joshua Mundy (Judges’ Favorite), Bill O’Bryan and Beth Witte (Fundraising Favorite). At the event, the Safe Haven Hero Award was presented to Anita and Larry Cash, as they

embody the essence of what it means to be Safe Haven heroes. They have a deep sense of commitment to supporting Safe Haven’s families and have contributed in myriad ways to ensure families experiencing homelessness have a place to call home. Thank you to our event cochairs, Kearstin Patterson, Candice Reed and Shane Tarleton and to

all of the judges, emcees, sponsors, volunteers, guests and donors for making this event such a success! Visit dancingforsafehaven.org for more information about the event, and mark your calendars for the 14th annual Dancing for Safe Haven on Friday, April 28, 2023.

HERO AWARD WINNERS ANITA AND LARRY CASH

New Trails and Safe Haven Friends: Hike for Safe Haven a Great Success

It may have been a cold day on November 12, but your support and generosity warmed our hearts! Together, we raised almost $165,000! Hundreds of hikers joined us at a new location in Percy Warner Park to hit the new trails and enjoy live music, children’s activities and more. We appreciate the leadership and support of our co-chairs, Richard Courtney, Liz Marchetti, Lisa Peebles and Laura Smith. We want to recognize our presenting sponsors Amazon, CURB, Fridrich & Clark Realty and Vaco for their generous commitment to the event.

Each year, we award the Golden Boot to the top team and individual fundraisers. This year, Richard Courtney raised over $30,000 and won the individual award. The Vaco team, led by team captain Liz Marchetti, raised over $16,000 to earn the team award. The Team

Building award for the team with the most members raising money went to Safe Haven’s own Young Professionals Council. The Youth

Award was once again secured by Lipscomb Academy 5th Graders, raising almost $5,000 for families in need!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

Corporate Partners Raise Awareness and Funds

Rachael Wilkins, Chief Development Officer

There is so much to be thankful for here at Safe Haven, and we want to express our deepest gratitude to all of our donors for your commitment to our mission and the families we serve. We know that each contribution of time, talent and funding reflects your heart for our families.

One unique way that corporations, foundations and civic groups have chosen to support is through events benefiting Safe Haven. Hosting an event takes tremendous effort, and the work that individuals put in to make it successful is greatly appreciated. It is an honor to partner with these groups, and the funds received will make an impact as we strive to meet more of the demand for services. I want to highlight some of the generous companies

that have provided gifts over the past few months.

This avenue of giving is an opportunity for more community awareness and unrestricted funds. These investments in Safe Haven mean that we can build capacity, provide transformative support and give more families a place to call home.

The

Community Health Systems:

Rusty Wright, Manager and Tim Hingtgen, CEO of Community Health Systems (CHS) recently presented Safe Haven with a check for $50,000 to provide shelter, housing and services to families experiencing homelessness.

CREW Nashville:

Representatives from CREW Nashville (the local chapter of Women in Commercial Real Estate) recently volunteered with Safe Haven and presented a check for $6,800.

Simmons Bank Open:

Simmons Bank recently presented Safe Haven with a check for $10,000 as part of the Simmons Bank Open golf tournament.

Tracy

Lawrence/

Mission: Possible Foundation:

Tracy Lawrence and the Mission: Possible Foundation presented Safe Haven with not one, but two checks recently! Safe Haven received $25,000 in August, and then received a Giving Tuesday surprise when presented with another check for $10,000! Thank you to Tracy and the Mission: Possible Foundation board for making this generous contribution to help families experiencing homelessness.

National Equipment Finance Association:

National Equipment Finance Association surprised Safe Haven with a donation of $20,000 from a fundraiser they hosted in Nashville.

Pictured from L to R: From L – R: George Makris, Chairman of Simmons Bank; Mike Hammontree, VP External Operations and TGF/Tournament Director SBO; Rachael Wilkins, Safe Haven Chief Development Officer; Brandt Snedeker, PGA tour professional; Whit Turnbow, President TGF

15thAnnualHike forHomeless BreaksRecord Help Us Keep More Families Together in 2023

Safe Haven, now more than ever, needs your help as the need for services is rising in our community. The number of families asking for assistance has increased from 300 families in 2021 to over 450 families in 2022. Your support will ensure that families have an answer in Safe Haven. Please consider making a donation before the end of the year.

Our hearts and spirits were warmed by the generosity and support of everyone involved with the 15th Annual Hike for the Homeless presented by Curb Records, First Farmers Bank and Hippie Radio. Special thanks to our Hike Co-Chairs Richard Courtney and Kerry Brock. More than 1,000 people joined us at the Hike, and together, we raised over $155,000, more than we have ever before. What an incredible way to mark this special 15th anniversary of the event! Visit to learn more about the 15th Annual Hike for the Homeless.

www.safehaven.com

Donate using the enclosed envelope or donate online at safehaven.org.

Dayspring Farm Joni Werthan of Warioto Farm Trailhead Sponsors: Bone McAllester Norton Cerner Chris Young Community Health Systems Data Blue- Dell EMC Dickinson Wright Fridrich & Clark Ingram Express Services Messer

MP& F Strategic Communications Richard Courtney, Realtor SunTrust Swiftwick Staffing as a Mission