A Safe Haven, located in Chicago, Illinois, is a comprehensive social service organization dedicated to helping individuals in crisis achieve self-sufficiency. Founded in the early 1990s by Neli and Brian Rowland, the organization emerged from their personal experiences and desire to give back to the community. Their vision was to create a place where people facing challenges could access food, shelter, treatment, medical care, education, job training, and placement under one roof.
The organization offers a continuum of phased housing across over 40 locations in Chicago and its suburbs. This includes transitional housing, recovery homes, supportive housing, affordable housing, and specialized accommodations for seniors and veterans. Each site is designed to be safe, affordable, and well-maintained, situated near essential amenities like shopping centers, parks, and public transportation.
A Safe Haven serves a diverse population, addressing issues such as domestic and gender-based violence, substance use, mental health challenges, unemployment, justice involvement, homelessness, eviction, and medical debt. Their clients include intact families, single parents with children, young adults, LGBTQIA2S+ individuals, reentry populations, and military veterans. Each resident is assigned an individual case manager who coordinates a team of professionals to develop personalized service plans, aiming to restore confidence, pride, and purpose.
In addition to housing and case management, A Safe Haven provides comprehensive behavioral health services, educational programs, and job training in sectors like culinary arts, custodial engineering, security, and welding. Their mission is to restore hope and opportunity by offering treatment, housing, support services, and career pathways, ultimately helping individuals transition from homelessness to self-sufficiency.
Since its inception, A Safe Haven has been recognized as a comprehensive, state-licensed, community-based social service model. Annually, they assist over 3,000 individuals, including men, women, youth, children, and veterans, and facilitate approximately 500 job placements through their social business enterprises. These efforts contribute to restoring lives, uniting families, stabilizing neighborhoods, and creating vibrant communities.
