By Zeke Fleet and Donna Olendorf – CUMC Missions Committee

 

Safe Harbor supports the physical and spiritual welfare of people experiencing homelessness by providing shelter, food, and hope.

Core Values at Safe Harbor

Compassion: We relate to our guests with love, empathy, and encouragement for all.

Commitment: We are dedicated to safety and are diligent in our responsibilities.

Faith: We offer hope and dignity to our guests.

Respect: We build trusting, affirming relationships based on honesty and care.

Collaboration: We coordinate closely with many stakeholders and partner organizations that share our vision.

What began in 2003 as a church-based initiative to care for our homeless neighbors by providing basic meals and shelter has progressed from a cold-season refuge to a permanent, year-round organization that reflects a community of compassion. 

Safe Harbor’s 2,300 dedicated volunteers work in collaboration with community-help organizations, (including Central UMC), that serve as a safety net to address the basic needs of our unhoused neighbors.  In addition to beds and meals, Safe Harbor offers shower and laundry facilities, medical and behavioral health space, a TV room, computer stations, and bedside outlets for phone charging.  

• Safe Harbor’s commercial kitchen staff and volunteers provide dinner and serve guests every evening except Monday.  
• The Monday evening meal is provided by 5Loaves2Fish, a meal program for those in need that is headquartered in Leland. 
• Safe Harbor provides lunch on many Saturdays and Sundays throughout the winter.
• Central United Methodist Church provides breakfast at its Fellowship Hall Monday through Friday, lunch on Thursdays, and delivers breakfast to Safe Harbor on Saturdays.

Five Challenges Facing Safe Harbor

1. The need for more beds. Safe Harbor currently has capacity for 74 regular beds and four “overflow” beds used on a night-by-night basis. It’s not uncommon to have more than 80 people seeking overnight shelter. In Grand Traverse County, the overall need from Safe Harbor and Goodwill Street Outreach is 165 beds.
2. Financial support.  Safe Harbor can no longer support its mission without government help. Safe Harbor is asking the City of Traverse City and Grand Traverse County for sustained and substantial contributions to its annual budget.
3. Support from community agencies. Beyond meals and shelter, Safe Harbor guests need help connecting with area agencies that provide services such as mental and physical health care, sustainable housing, employment and transportation.
4. The need for federally funded permanent supportive housing. People become homeless when housing funds are cut and when emergency sheltering is limited.
5. The need for additional Safe Harbor volunteers. With the anticipated transition to remaining open each day of the year, Safe Harbor needs volunteers who can step up and help prepare and serve meals, especially when no church is assigned to help.

What can YOU do to help Safe Harbor?

• Your financial contributions are needed to sustain Safe Harbor, bringing much-needed care for those in need.  
• For one-time or recurring online donations, please select Central Missions on the dropdown and designate Safe Harbor on Central’s Giving page by clicking here.
• Designate Safe Harbor in the memo area on your offering checks.
• Drop off change, paper currency, or a check in the contribution bucket in the gathering area.
• Consider being a Safe Harbor Volunteer, especially needed to assist with cooking and serving meals. Please see the Safe Harbor website, gtsafeharbor.org or call Safe Harbor at (231) 944-0283 for more volunteer information or to connect with Brad Gerlach, volunteer manager.

Please keep Safe Harbor, its guests, and volunteers, in your prayers.