Safe Haven is the only shelter in Middle Tennessee that serves homeless families as a whole unit. Residents are comprised of married couples with children, and single mothers and fathers with children. The average length of stay is 30 to 45 days. The resident(s) must be employed or in pursuit of employment, and must adhere to program rules. The 3rd Avenue South location houses five families. In addition, Safe Haven also has six transitional homes, therefore housing eleven homeless families at a time.
The qualifications to be accepted are as follows. The families must:
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be a family unit, consisting of one or two parents and at least one minor child
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be drug and alcohol-free
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be in an emergency situation
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have never resided at Safe Haven before
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be willing to accept certain responsibilities at the shelter and abide by the house rules
Each family is provided a private room with a double bed for the parents, and bunk beds for the children. The shower and bathroom facilities are shared; as are the laundry room, common living room, and dining area. The basic needs of residents are accommodated, and they have access to any lacking necessities; i.e. baby food, diapers, clothing, and toiletries.
While living at Safe Haven, adult residents that are not caring for infant children are required to look for employment, (with the assistance of the staff). They must save 75% of their income so when they graduate the program, there is a significant amount of money to start out with. This aids tremendously in the transition back into mainstream living.
Safe Haven emphasizes the importance of the family unit to the residents, and provides various training and counseling programs. Programs include training in: family budgeting, educational tutoring, assistance in locating permanent housing, and life skills counseling. The common goal is to empower the residents to leave the facility and to maintain independence.
