Safe Harbor provides prevention, intervention, education and outreach services to empower individuals, families and the community to end all forms of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Safe Harbor was established in September of 1990. We became a 501(c)3 non-profit in April, 1991. Safe Harbor started with two staff members working in a two-bedroom home at an undisclosed location.

Today Safe Harbor is publicly disclosed at our secure, ADA compliant, 929 Niagara Avenue location in Sheboygan, WI.  Our 18 bed domestic abuse shelter and our administrative offices are under one roof after 8 years of renting office space.  A separate building on the property is used for training, meetings and structured group sessions.

Our facility is the only domestic violence shelter in Sheboygan County. Women and their minor children who stay at the shelter are provided with room and board as well as personal needs.  Men may also receive services but they do not stay at the shelter.  We work with other agencies to find options for men needing a safe place.

In addition to the 24/7 crisis line and shelter we offer: abuse assessments, crisis counseling, assistance in obtaining restraining orders, legal referrals, court accompaniment, support groups, advocacy, emergency transportation assistance, financial assistance, child care, and information and referral services.

All services are available, at no cost, to anyone who is a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault. A person is not required to come to the shelter or stay at the shelter in order to receive assistance.

We have seen a significant increase in the number of people served as well as in the services we have provided since we began operating the program in 1990. In 2011 alone we served 422 households including direct service to 184 children, and answered 3646 phone calls on our crisis line.

Safe Harbor operates with support from grants from the State of Wisconsin and other local funding including Verizon and the United Way. This support covers less than 50% of our total annual operating budget. Because of our limited resources, we rely on donations from community foundations, groups, organizations and individuals. Our new facility benefited from donations of all kinds, from landscaping to furniture to computers to household goods.  We wouldn't be here without the great community support we receive!  We need financial support as well as donations of goods and services in order to meet the needs of those who turn to us for help and for hope.