For all who work at Help End Abuse for Life and The Nest, ending violence and advocating for survivors and victims of domestic violence is a mission. Very quickly, a person becomes consumed by the work and ultimately spends thousands of hours trying to find ways to improve the lives of all the women and children served.
In 2010, Kathryn Walker, long-time advocate and then-Chief Operations Director of HEAL, did exactly that by crafting a program meant to fill a gaping hole in services for survivors. Walker’s vision was a transitional housing program called SAFE, or the Self-Funded Assistance for Empowerment program.
The Nest operates within a series of restrictions and limitations because of how federal and state funding work. Essentially, women who seek shelter are granted funding for up to 90 days of residency with The Nest. SAFE is a program for those residents of The Nest who have come close to running out of time and need a little more wiggle room to successfully and completely launch into their new, independent lives.
As an illustration, if a woman had started working full-time during her stay with The Nest, but was still a couple paychecks shy of a deposit for an apartment, or if she was simply waiting a few more weeks for a rental to come available, then SAFE would provide her a safe, affordable housing option while everything fell into place.
SAFE fulfills an important need for a number of women. Due to the nature of domestic violence, battering and control and the danger of leaving, many victims arrive at The Nest with nothing. They are missing clothes, money and at times even identification like social security cards, driver’s licenses and birth certificates. Between the emotional hardship of breaking free, the need to replace all the necessities in life, and the difficulty of finding a job, especially after being forcefully unemployed for years, survivors have their work cut out for them.
“Now imagine trying to get hired, or to file for financial assistance, without any documentation that you actually exist,” Walker said.
To keep the program serving its intended clientele, SAFE is offered as an option for long-term residents of The Nest who are nearing their 90-day limit and who have so far shown good behavior and success in growing. To be accepted, the women must be occupied full-time through work, school, or a combination of both. Those who are unable to work due to disabilities or other challenges are permitted to fulfill their obligations through volunteering or community work.
The women are also expected to pay rent, based on a sliding scale and their income levels. Meeting the responsibility offers a sense of pride. Finally, participants must contribute certain amounts of their income to savings accounts for their future necessities.
SAFE is not for all residents of The Nest, but for those who need it, the program and the extra time it provides can make the difference of a lifetime. In combination with other programs and services provided at The Nest, it is yet another tool for fulfilling Help End Abuse for Life’s core mission of empowering survivors with hope and change…and ending violence everywhere.
Pictured is Kathryn Walker, creator of the SAFE Program at the Nest.
