20 N. Matlack St

West Chester, PA 19380

Need Shelter?

Call 211 or 1-855-567-5341

610-692-6550

Business Office

 

Dear Friends of Safe Harbor,

As the COVID-19 health crisis continues, Safe Harbor of Chester County has remained a lifeline to many vulnerable Chester County residents while continuing to prioritize safety for service recipients, staff and volunteers.  Like many small providers, adhering to public health guidelines has made us alter the way we deliver services while continuing our mission.  We continue to provide housing, food, and support to both homeless men and homeless women and those in need within our community.  Physical capacity restrictions have offered staff the opportunity to expand services to check on previous residents’ well-being and offer needed assistance in the hopes of averting a return to homelessness. It is the people we serve that bear the brunt during financial and service downturns.

The coronavirus pandemic affects service providers like Safe Harbor in three ways

First, the intersecting problems of food insecurity, mental health or addiction challenges, and current or imminent homelessness increase the requests for aid.

Second, safety precautions increase operational expenses such as protective equipment of masks, gloves and safety barriers, along with sanitizing and cleaning supplies for the staff and shelter residents.

Third, the resulting economic recession may result in financial trouble for non-profits reliant on donations.  Many people who used to donate to nonprofits are now standing in line to receive services themselves. 

Safe Harbor has weathered many economic challenges since it began more than 25 years ago. The unique challenge of the current pandemic is the first time an additional health crisis has unraveled so many threads that used to weave the social safety net.  Our thoughts continue to be with the people suffering from COVID-19, the families and friends who have lost loved ones, as well as those who have been impacted economically.

Following the public health safety guidelines, let us all take care of ourselves and show respect for all with whom we come into contact. We are certainly stronger when we come together to protect the whole community.

Safe Harbor needs your continued financial support now, as always, for staff to provide current service levels and to meet any future challenges that may appear on the horizon for our neighbors in distress. Safe Harbor hopes to emerge strong and able to return to our pre-pandemic service level as soon as the opportunity arises.  We can’t do this without you.

Thank you for joining us in providing for Safe Harbor and all of those we serve.

 

Warmly,

Judy Jeffords-Homitz

CEO

Safe Harbor of Chester County is a 501(c)(3) registered Non-Profit organization