Photograph of Barrie Ann George, Vice President of Development and Communications at Safe Harbour
Safe Harbour’s mission is to provide “a continuum of housing services for the homeless of Cumberland County.” Individuals and families receive supportive services in addition to housing options that range from short- and long-term temporary housing to permanent residence. Many of the residents have also experienced a myriad of issues ranging from mental health concerns, substance abuse, or seeking shelter from violence. Housing is a significant problem in the county and Safe Harbour is one of the organizations in the area providing necessary services to community members.
Safe Harbour is part of a coordinated entry system in which an individual can call 211 and request assistance with housing. Individuals are then put in a community queue and if they meet the criteria for Safe Harbour’s rooming requirements, they are referred to the organization, if not, they are referred to a different facility that addresses that particular individual or families' specific needs. Currently, Safe Harbour is working on an ambitious plan to address the lack of affordable housing in the community. After conversations with community partners and key stakeholders, Safe Harbour acquired five acres of land on the outskirts of Carlisle in South Middleton township near a Giant to build affordable homes for community members. Safe Harbour has applied for funding to continue moving forward with the ‘workforce housing project’ and hopes to begin building in Spring 2022.
In addition to this exciting project moving forward during the pandemic, Safe Harbour experienced community generosity and assistance during COVID. As the Vice President for Development and Communications, Barrie Ann George’s main challenge is raising funds for Safe Harbour. Much like other non-profits, Safe Harbour relies on obtaining grants and donations to continue providing these much-needed resources to individuals in the Carlisle community. George mentions that, “There were people who were weathering it [COVID] just fine and they were very generous, so I cannot complain about raising money and resources”. The staff at Safe Harbour never worked from home during the heart of the pandemic – and the generous funds allowed everyone to remain employed. She mentioned restaurants donating meals to their residents and a company called Filta Environmental who came in weekly to help in sanitizing the facilities. Even though Safe Harbour chose not to host volunteers and visitors during the heart of the pandemic, they were still able to partner virtually with Dickinson College’s Center for Civic Learning & Action (CCLA). CCLA provided a Community Engagement Fellow (CEF) student to virtually assist as needed. The CEF program grants students the opportunities to build bridges as engaged citizens and equips them to be lifelong learners and leaders in their communities in Carlisle and beyond. At Safe Harbour, CEFs have assisted in a variety of capacities, including but not limited to grant writing where George says, “They [CEFs] have been super helpful in helping us bring in tens of thousands of dollars over the years.”
Barrie Ann George also discussed the important partnerships created with former President Ensign’s creation of the Carlisle Community Action Network and the philanthropic mission of sororities on campus. “We have always had a great relationship with Dickinson.” While COVID certainly made daily life more challenging, Safe Harbour was able to continue providing housing and wrap-around services to their clients. They have also decided to embark on an exciting new endeavor that will hopefully result in a positive direction towards addressing the lack of affordable housing in the Carlisle community. As George states, “Our staff, though small went above and beyond” during COVID, and plans to continue on the same trajectory for their future endeavors.