Safe Harbor: Lighting the Way

Written by Bolashade Hanson

Carrie’s running low on concealer. She can’t walk into work with her swollen eye that was now turning an ugly bluish shade of black. She didn’t know why her boyfriend got so angry. There was no time for tears; she was going to be late for work. Looking down at the bruises on her upper arm she put on a jacket to wear in 90 degree weather. One quick glance in the mirror left her despondent. As she reached into her pocket, she pulled out a card her co-worker gave her. It read Safe Harbor…

For many women who have experienced domestic violence, often times they don’t leave because they feel they have no one to turn to. Safe Harbor is a local non-profit organization dedicated to saving lives by providing education, advocacy, counseling & shelter to break the cycle of domestic violence. Safe Harbor offers free services to address the physical and emotional needs of women and their children who are victims of domestic violence, and equips them with knowledge to get them on the road to recovery in a violence-free environment. There are many ways you can support Safe Harbor in its mission.

Give Bags! – Safe Harbor is in need of small to medium gender-neutral tote bags for survivors of intimate partner and sexual violence who receive supportive services through our RHART (Regional Hospital Accompaniment Response Team) (verify) Program. This collaborative effort with Hanover Safe Place and the YWCA of Richmond has served over 300 survivors in its first year.

Order Pizza – Need a reason to order delicious Papa John's Pizza? For every pizza ordered online during the weeks of November 14-21 or November 28-December 5, $2 will be donated to Safe Harbor. Enter the code "Purple" when checking out and Safe Harbor will receive a donation. Thank you and enjoy a night without cooking!

DONATIONS – Safe Harbor has several methods for giving donations

Monetary – Safe Harbor relies on the generosity from the community to achieve its goals. You can make a monetary donation here. Your gift could save a life.

Collect Items – If you don’t have money to give, there is also the option of donating items to Safe Harbor. Check out the wish list!

Volunteer – Donating your time is a great way to support the cause of Safe Harbor. Volunteers are organized into teams by volunteer interest. To view all the requirements and teams visit the Volunteer page.

For more information on Safe Harbor visit: safeharborshelter.com

Photo taken from Safe Harbor website.