Safe Harbor to kick-off Capital Campaign for OC Shelter

On March 1, Safe Harbor will hold a public press conference at 9:30am at the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office to announce the official kick-off of their Capital Campaign to raise funds for a 24/7 emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence and their children in Oconee County. Safe Harbor currently has a contract on a facility in Seneca that will become Safe Harbor’s Oconee County Shelter.  Safe Harbor’s fundraising goal is $990,000, which will cover the cost of the shelter facility, as well as three years of operations and program expenses, insuring long-term sustainability for this new shelter in the Oconee community.  The shelter will be staffed with a full-time shelter manager, a full-time shelter counselor, a full-time family advocate and rotating relief staff persons who will work on evenings and weekends to assure that staff is available and on-site 24/7. Safe Harbor hopes to meet their $990,000 fundraising goal as soon as possible in order to insure that the Oconee County shelter is opened by 2015. If the goal is met sooner, then Safe Harbor hopes to open the shelter prior to that. State and local leaders will speak at the March 1 press conference to address the issue of domestic violence and the need for services for victims and their children. Members of Safe Harbor’s staff and board of directors will also share details regarding plans for the Oconee County Shelter Capital Campaign and will call the community to action in supporting this fundraising effort.