Safe Harbor is experiencing significant growth in its mission and services for victims of domestic violence and their children. The Department of Justice’s Office of Violence Against Women has awarded Safe Harbor with two federal grants that will allow the agency to provide new services for victims throughout Safe Harbor’s four-county service area of Greenville, Anderson, Pickens, and Oconee Counties. Safe Harbor was one of only seven nonprofit agencies across the nation to receive these prestigious grant awards.

"The endorsement of Safe Harbor’s current services and potential for making lasting change in the communities we serve is made clear by the award of two of the Department of Justice’s highly prestigious grants," says Becky Callaham, Executive Director of Safe Harbor. "These grants will provide new services for victims who might otherwise fall through the cracks. Both of these grants will help Safe Harbor continue to support all victims every step of the way to their own personal path toward long-term freedom from domestic abuse."

The first OVW grant provides $600,000 to Safe Harbor that will fund a collaborative program in Greenville County entitled "Education, Training and Enhanced Services to End Violence against and Abuse of Women with Mental Disabilities". Studies show that victims of abuse and violence are at increased risk for developing psychiatric conditions. Abuse can also exacerbate pre-existing mental illnesses. The OVW grant will allow Safe Harbor to partner together with the Greenville Rape Crisis and Child Abuse Center, Mental Health America, the Mental Health Center, and AHEC to research the current needs of victims with mental disabilities and to create an integrated response plan for providing needed services to these individuals.

The second OVW grant provides $500,000 to Safe Harbor in order to fund a Transitional Housing Assistance Program for victims of domestic violence and their children in Greenville, Anderson, Pickens, and Oconee counties. Currently, there are very few transitional or affordable housing programs in the Upstate. With the funding from the OVW grant and through partnership with the Upstate Homeless Coalition, the YWCA, and Goodwill Industries, Safe Harbor is acquiring six new transitional houses and seven apartment units for transitional housing for victims and their children throughout Safe Harbor’s 4-county service area. The objective of this transitional plan is to gradually move victims from complete, cost-free shelter services to independent living while providing them with the necessary tools to maintain that independence.

In 2008, 32,889 victims and their children sought services (shelter, counseling, advocacy, and support services) from domestic violence programs like Safe Harbor in the state of South Carolina. 34,610 domestic assaults were reported to law enforcement throughout the state of South Carolina in 2007.

The OVW grants allows Safe Harbor to respond to the issue of domestic violence by expanding services, making a life-changing impact in the lives of victims and their children in the Upstate of South Carolina.

Safe Harbor’s staff and board of directors are excited to implement these new programs. Kathy Blackwell, Safe Harbor’s Board President, shares, "We are honored that Safe Harbor is the recipient of these two grants awarded by the Office of Violence Against Women.  Being able to increase services for victims with mental disabilities and to offer transitional housing strengthens our mission of providing help for victims of domestic violence.  Until domestic violence is eradicated from our society, our focus on this issue cannot lessen."

"The funding provided by these OVW grants allows victims and their children to take vital steps towards a future of hope, healing, and new opportunity," says Samantha Tucker, Safe Harbor’s Director of Development. "Each victim takes a courageous step when she chooses to leave a violent relationship. We want to be sure that we provide each victim with the tools she needs in order to successfully start a new life."