Why Support SafeNet?
Because your gift can change a life.
Donate now to help SafeNet continue to provide services for victims and their children. Victims of abuse and their children need a safe place to go. SafeNet offers shelter 24/7. Until the victim and their children are safe, nothing else matters. Families are provided with free housing, food, clothing, and confidential counseling. SafeNet creates a true sanctuary where victims, young and old, rich and poor, have the physical and emotional space to work through a difficult time and begin to heal. We offer a place that inspires hope and confidence because it is a visible symbol of how much we care. Why Now? 2019 marks the 45th Anniversary of SafeNet with a renewed resolve to assist the over 1,500 victims and their children who come to SafeNet annually.
How do your donations help?
Helping Adults, Children and Teens
- By providing emergency shelter. Since 1974, SafeNet has offered safe, comfortable and confidential short term housing 24/7 for healing and planning the future.
- By providing transitional housing. Since 1986, SafeNet’s Bridge House Program has provided safe and affordable transitional housing for victims of domestic violence who are now homeless to rebuild their lives.
- By providing TLC. Since 1990, the TLC program provided transitional housing for young homeless mothers, 16 to 21 years old. Study areas, play areas, kitchens, and a garden are available for residents working towards self-sufficiency and developing parenting skills.
- By providing children’s programs. Children learn empowerment, are taught positives values and boundaries and are shown support to help them develop into caring responsible adults.
How are donations used? Donations are used to provide clothes, housing and food to victims and their children. Donations are also used to provide services for children. SafeNet’s annual budget is about $1.6 million. It is funded by grants and corporate and private donations.
Donate now to help SafeNet continue to provide services for victims and their children. Tax-deductible donations of money or household items and in-kind services are always welcomed and greatly appreciated Click here to Donate online » To Donate by Mail,use this Donation Form, or you may mail to SafeNet Advancement Office 1702 French Street Erie, PA 16501 Fax: (814) 456-8841 Phone: (814) 455-1774
Types of Donations
Annual Fund
Teen mothers seeking shelter are a constant challenge. Often these mothers have dropped out of school and have little or no family support. Their lack of a basic education, work history, life experiences and life skills (including parenting skills) presents a grim outlook for their futures.
In 1990, Tom Ridge, then a U.S. Congressman, cut the ribbon and supported SafeNet’s Transitional Living Center (TLC) project as an antidote to the generational cycle of poverty which often begins with teen pregnancy. He called TLC an opportunity and a “bridge out of poverty” for a vulnerable population.
The program provides a safe, nurturing environment for both mother and child with an emphasis on positive parenting. While in the program, mothers are required to take part in their personalized plan toward self-sufficiency whether that is completing high school, getting a GED or enrolling in a skill training program.
In the twenty-eight years of providing TLC, some young mothers have far exceeded basic self-sufficiency. TLC has been the launching pad for nursing degrees and master’s level educational achievement. In some cases, these achievers came to TLC as high school drop outs.
SafeNet’s has served approximately 300 families since TLC’s inception in 1990; however, this project is now in jeopardy. With changes in HUD funding, SafeNet, expects to lose $108,000 in the first 6 months of 2017 and lose an additional $170,000 during fiscal year 2017-18.
You probably receive many appeals at this time of year. But this one is unique in that you have the opportunity to be personally responsible for changing the direction of a mother’s life and that of her child. We regularly hear from our clients “Thanks for not giving up on me,” “This has taught me responsibility,” and “This program helped me with achieving my goals.” They could be saying those things to you. If you ever wanted to make a difference in the life of a mother and child, now is the time. And here’s an easy way.
As we enter our season of giving thanks, please consider a life changing gift to support SafeNet. If you can, please consider a monthly gift to help us sustain this program for 2017 and 2018.
Your gift will make such a difference. Please mark “Annual Fund” on your check or click here to make your gift online. Thank you.
Erie Gives SafeNet participates annually in Erie Gives. This event sponsored by the Erie Community Foundation (ECF) offers donors the opportunity to make a gift online at www.eriegives.org and the ECF provides proportional matching funds.
Memorials/Tributes Gifts may be made in memorial or tribute to a loved one and may be unrestricted.
Matching Gifts Do you or your spouse work at a company that offers a matching gift? If so, your gift will help the mission of SafeNet two-fold. Please complete the necessary paperwork either online or through your HR department.
Endowment As experts agree that children are significantly affected by witnessing domestic violence, we know that children growing up in abusive homes are 75% more likely to become an abuser or end up involved with an abuser. Children truly are the key to stopping this generational cycle of abuse. Your gift can help stop this cycle. Please join us in our mission to support the needs of these children by considering a donation to fund the The Family Violence Prevention Fund endowment. You will help children succeed today and stop the cycle of violence tomorrow.
Planned Gifts A gift today can ensure a change for a better tomorrow whether you choose to remember SafeNet in your will, name SafeNet as a beneficiary on an insurance policy, or establish a charitable remainder trust. SafeNet is also involved with the Erie Community Foundation which could also assist with a planned gift.
For additional information on any of the above items, please contact Carolyn at 814-455-1774 ext. 235.
