Safe Haven Benefits
From ‘Homeless’ Grant
By Sandy Vondrasek

Last week, state officials and the staff and residents of homeless shelters throughout the state had something to celebrate. It was the announcement that funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to Vermont for its homeless programs is up this year by more than $500,000 over last year’s amount.

A check for Vermont’s $1.7-million allocation was presented by HUD Regional Director Taylor Caswell to Gov. Jim Douglas at a festive event last Tuesday at Safe Haven in Randolph.

Safe Haven, one of the programs benefited by the grant, provides temporary housing, with the chronically mentally ill as its priority population.

Federal and state housing officials joined Safe Haven staff and residents, and Clara Martin Center Executive Director Linda Chambers in the January 15 event.

Safe Haven, which celebrates its 10^th anniversary this year, is unique among homeless shelters in the state, and—at the time it was founded—unique in the nation, according to Chambers.

The handsome and tidy home, which has six beds and shared kitchen, dining and living room space, is a collaborative venture, depending on services and support from a variety of groups, agencies and funding sources.

The building, formerly used by Clara Martin as office space, was donated to the homeless shelter.

Chambers noted that one of the unique features of the home is its "peer staffing." Some of the staff, from Vermont Psychiatric Survivors, are those who have experienced mental illness and homelessness.

Safe Haven residents can stay up to a year, and during that time may—but are not required to—avail themselves of services from the Clara Martin Center and other agencies. All do have to look for work.

Thanks to the extended stay and support services, Chambers said, may residents are able to move on to permanent housing, at the end of their Safe Haven stay.