Who We Are
Safehome Systems, Inc., (Safehome) is a private not for profit organization with a 501 C 3 status, that has been serving families in the Alleghany Highlands since 1987. The agency provides advocacy and support services to survivors of domestic, dating and sexual violence. We provide services to women, children and men that are experiencing this kind of violence. These services include a 24-hour crisis hotline; emergency shelter; individual and group counseling; legal advocacy; public awareness and education presentations.
Safehome started, in 1987, as a grassroots effort to provide shelter to victims of domestic violence. Volunteers provided their personal homes for women and children to stay. As the program grew, there were concerns for the safety of victim and volunteers and it was clear that a dedicated home, with intensive services, would be needed. In 1990, the first official shelter was purchased on Main Street in Covington. Due to the age of the home and foundation issues, an 18-bed shelter was purchased in 1997 through the generosity of the Alleghany Foundation. At that time, services became available to sexual violence survivors as well.
Our vision is that Safehome Systems, Inc. will be the primary resource center for education, prevention and refuge for domestic violence, dating violence and sexual abuse in the Alleghany Highlands region. The grassroots effort started with the citizens of Alleghany County, and 30 years later, that support continues. Our services are offered to Alleghany, Bath and Highland Counties as well as the City of Covington and towns of Iron Gate and Clifton Forge.
Safehome's mission is to empower and advocate for victims and survivors of domestic, dating and sexual violence and to work towards a violence-free community.
Our services are always free and confidential. Safehome’s provides an emergency shelter equipped with 18 beds. This shelter for victims is a very important part of our mission, to provide safety for these survivors that reach out to us, however, we do offer many more services to the communities we serve. Last year (July 1, 2016-June30, 2017), we provided emergency shelter to 78 survivors of domestic and sexual violence and we able to provide advocacy and support to over 1,450 survivors in our community. That could mean providing crisis intervention one time over the phone or intensive services long term.
- Safehome operates a 24 hour a day, 7 days a week hotline for victims of domestic violence, dating violence and sexual violence.
- Safehome provides counseling to adult and children survivors.
- Safehome provides court advocacy, information, referral and support to those victims going through the criminal justice system.
- Safehome provides educational programs in local schools, churches, businesses, and civic groups, to help educate the community on how they can help a survivor while providing awareness by letting the community know that we are here to help. Our presentations get our name and resources known to the community in an effort to reach those victims and survivors that need our help and support.