Safe and sound

SafeSpace, a local non-profit agency serving victims of domestic violence, continues to see an increase in clients and a need to expand facilities and services, while facing budget cuts and a more diverse clientele. According to Charlene Lupo, Executive Director for SafeSpace, the number of clients is expected to rise again this year. “Last year we sheltered 291 women and 6 men, with a total of 2,136 nights of shelter provided. But I think we’re doing more than that this year. We had 16 a week and a half ago. The shelter only holds 16,” Lupo told The Herald, adding, “When we’re booked, we try to put them at another shelter, or we put them in a hotel.” The growing diversity of clients further complicates the challenge of housing clients. Says Lupo, ”We’re not just dealing with the women. Since I’ve been here, I’ve dealt with several men who usually have custody of the children.” There has been discussion of building a new facility. “We had a follow up meeting to our party for a purpose last Friday night, and it was brought up. When we meet again at the end of the summer for next year, we’re going to start talking about that,” Lupo tells The Herald. She says she has a good idea of what kind of facility should be built. “I want the large room in the middle where people can come together. We need counseling rooms, children’s rooms, and art therapy rooms. We need a space where people can pull their cars in so they’re not sitting out on the street. I would like to see a wing for single moms, a wing with moms and kids and then a wing with little efficiency apartments for transitional people.” But limited funding for the agency makes it hard to provide adequate shelter and doesn’t meet all of their clients needs. “Only 38 or 39 percent of our budget comes from state funding, and we were even cut this year,” states Lupo. “It costs us money to operate day to day. What costs us a lot is things like house cleaning supplies. Diapers, there’s a tremendous need for those. They’re expensive! They need formula. Some might need medicine. Can you imagine having six grown women and a couple of kids at the shelter and having to provide for their basic needs? It costs a fortune to do that!” To help offset the cost of providing for their clients, SafeSpace relies heavily on community support. “We hold a lot of fundraisers,” Lupo says. “Now let me say this, I have never seen a community that donates and supports an organization like this community! We have a lot of churches that make personal hygiene packages for our clients. They come in by the droves on holidays, but need them all the time. A lot of the clothing outlets support us by providing clothing for the clients in the shelter. Back Yard printing does all our printing for us for free. The entertainment establishments between Sevierville and Gatlinburg support us by giving us things to auction off or give away for our fundraisers.” Fund raising, along with grant writing, is what Lupo spends much of her time on. “We have several fund raisers. Our big one this year was the Party for a Purpose. We had a gala in March, a golf tournament. We have Santa’s House of Hope that we operate every year. And we’re going to have a garage sale next month,” she says. Besides contributions of money and goods, SafeSpace also needs people. Lupo says, “I always need volunteers! I’ve got a core of ten great volunteers that help with everything, but I hope to get a bunch more.” There are many opportunities for volunteering. “They might not want to be an advocate in court, but they might want to work the garage sale. We have crisis calling. I need someone here to help in the office. We need help with mailings, fixing our donor list and answering the phone.” To contact SafeSpace call the business office at 453-9254. The crisis line is open 24/7 at (800) 244-5968.