Safe Harbor Easton
Description

Safe Harbor Easton is an emergency/transitional shelter for homeless single men and women. It is also a drop-in program for low-income and functionally disadvantaged individuals. Housed in a two-story building at 536 Bushkill Drive in Easton, the shelter has the capacity to house 16 men and 10 women overnight. Shelter residents are permitted to stay at the shelter for a period of up to 60 days while they prepare for their future.

The mission of Safe Harbor Easton is to motivate each individual to work toward self-sufficiency and to improve their quality of life while assisting them to meet their basic needs. During their stay at Safe Harbor Easton, residents have the opportunity to learn new problem-solving skills, stabilize their income, assess their job skills, look for job training, have a medical check-up, and find suitable permanent housing. At the same time, during the day, the drop-in center offers respite from the stress of the streets for functionally disabled adults by serving two meals per day and providing social rehabilitation services so that participants can achieve the level of self-sufficiency which is appropriate for their abilities.

Self-sufficiency is an integral part of the work at Safe Harbor Easton and a plan to assist individuals in achieving independence begins at intake. In reviewing an individual’s appropriateness for the shelter, Safe Harbor’s staff assesses the applicant’s resources as well as needs. The staff will assess whether the individual has other potential housing options such as shared housing, if the individual has sufficient finances to seek shelter elsewhere, if the person possesses a reasonable expectation that they can benefit from Safe Harbor’s array of services.

Each new member of the Safe Harbor community, whether joining the day program or moving into overnight residence, is interviewed by a case worker or other appropriate staff member. The case worker collects specific items of information such as the last place of residence, next of kin, employment history, income data, and the reason for the need of services. In concert with the case worker, the shelter resident develops a goal plan, which may include finding stable appropriate housing, getting a job, dealing with family issues, stabilizing his or her income, and/or attending drug, alcohol, or mental health outpatient treatment. The goal plan for those participating in the day program may be similar, but focused on the need for budgeting, maintaining one’s home, and finding a job, if the individual is able to work.

During the day, Safe Harbor Easton offers a variety of needed services to the residents and to the functionally disabled, low-income individuals who have been the traditional participants in a program formerly called the Easton Drop-In Center. At Safe Harbor, the day program participants receive breakfast and lunch in a friendly, caring atmosphere. Other services available to residents and day program participants include: life skills classes, medical check-ups and counseling, confidential AIDS testing, drug and alcohol counseling, services to veterans, Social Security representative payee program, and other services dealing with homeless prevention, employment, and housing.

All program participants are encouraged to become part of the Safe Harbor community where all individuals, both staff and participant, are treated with dignity and respect. House chores are carried out by residents because they value their quarters and want to make a contribution to its décor and maintenance. Safe Harbor Easton does not permit drugs or alcohol on the premises. Both the shelter program and the daytime program operate under a set of house rules that are explained and a copy is made available to each program participant. Facilities and supplies are available for the maintenance of personal hygiene and each individual is expected to make use of them.

On a yearly basis, Safe Harbor serves up to 300 homeless adults and over 269 unduplicated daytime participants.