Letter to Editor – December 2013

Dec. 17, 2013

Dear Editor,

In a blink of an eye, Christmas is almost upon us! For children, it’s a magical season filled with wish lists and dreams. Homes are filling up with decorated trees, gifts family and friends. But for the women and children at SAFE Shelter, their home was not a source of comfort. These were homes filled with loud voices, threats and violence. And Christmas doesn’t hold the same sense of peace most of us have the luxury of experiencing.

Every year, the shelter holds its Adopt-a-Family program where we ask mothers to fill out wish lists and with any luck, someone “adopts” that family. This year, we have more families that, as of this writing, have not been adopted.

This community has always stepped up when the shelter was in need and I’m asking you to do the same now. If you can’t adopt a family, just drop off a gift. Undesignated gifts are used to provide Christmas cheer to those families coming into the shelter at the last minute. All presents and gift cards go to families that are actively involved in SAFE Shelter programs.

So while you’re out, navigating the crowds at the mall, just pick up a gift and think how happy it will make a child or mother staying here this holiday season. Right now we have 27 children in our shelter and several teens.

Thanks to your support, last year, we provided direct services to over 600 victims and their children; provided 48,000 meals; and received over 1,500 crisis calls. As I’ve said before, Savannah, this is your shelter and you’ve helped us keep our doors open for over 30 years.

For more information on the Adopt-a-Family program, please call Doretha Rice or Marie Williams at 629-0026.

Thank you,

Cheryl Haven Branch

Executive Director

SAFE Shelter