Local nonprofit opens transitional housing
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For the first time in Lake County, free temporary housing is available to those in need through SAFE Harbor, a local nonprofit organization that primarily provides advocacy, counseling and legal support for victims of domestic violence.
“SAFE Harbor’s umbrella is bigger now,” director of development Dana Grant explained.
SAFE Harbor has been around about 17 years and already runs a shelter for women who are victims of domestic violence, but the group’s latest venture will offer a much-needed service to an expanded sector of the community.
“Over the last year, we’ve seen a lot more people who are experiencing some form of homelessness,” Grant said. “So that sprung a lot of concern.”
Many people go through temporary periods of homelessness, Grant explained, whether it’s just for a week while they’re saving money for a housing deposit or while looking for a new job. And while they may not be on the street, they often end up sleeping on a relative’s or friend’s couch for weeks or even months at a time — sometimes as many as eight or 10 people will stay in a one-bedroom apartment for extended periods, Grant noted.
“So we’ve kind of taken the leap to see where it gets us,” he said. “We just saw need and felt like we needed to take some action.”
After some searching, SAFE Harbor found a housing unit in Polson big enough for a family and a larger house in Ronan with room for a couple of small families or several individuals. The group didn’t have to lock into a long lease, and after outfitting the house with donated beds, couches, tables and chairs, they’re ready to begin an experiment for the next few months that Richardson hopes will turn into a permanent fixture in Lake County.
“It’s a leap of faith,” SAFE Harbor executive director DeeAnn Richardson said. “We’re just going out there, and we’re gonna be the ones to (try).”
The Polson unit is already housing a small family, Grant noted, and he and Richardson are screening applicants for the Ronan house. They consider applicants’ needs at this point in time, their ability to demonstrate a plan for the future and how they would fare in a group living situation. Grant emphasized that housing is open to people county-wide, not just Polson or Ronan residents.
“They’re really open to anyone; it’s not limited,” he said.
And if traveling to work or school is an issue, SAFE Harbor will arrange rides through the tribes or other local services.
“There’s ways to get from the facility to wherever you need to go,” Grant said.
Especially in a rural area, the true impact of homelessness is difficult to gauge, and that’s why SAFE Harbor will be doing a point-in-time survey on Jan. 27 to get an idea of how many people are homeless in the area. Missoula and Kalispell have yearly point-in-time surveys, but no one’s ever done one in Lake County, Grant said.
“It’s really important that we get that count and really show how many people are homeless in Lake County,” Richardson said.
Volunteers are needed to help inventory beds for the homeless, to do street counts, gather counts from schools and service agencies and do interviews at food banks, soup kitchens, healthcare centers and emergency rooms.
“If someone’s interested in any way in helping, give us a call,” Grant said.
SAFE Harbor was able to take on its new venture without hiring any extra staff, and all furnishings for the housing units was donated. Operational costs — rent and bills — are really all that remain to be covered, and even the smallest donations are helpful.
“If there’s enough little $10 gifts, that will help us pay the rent,” Grant said.
For more information, contact SAFE Harbor at 676-0800 or stop by the office on Main Street in Ronan.
