Since its founding in February 1979, Safehouse Crisis Center, Inc. has offered safety to victims of domestic violence in the Pittsburg community and the surrounding Southeastern Kansas area through emergency shelter and intervention, transitional housing, advocacy, public education and awareness, statistical analysis and legislative reform. Originally started by a group of families first offering their own homes to victims in need of safety, the organization now meets the needs of vulnerable families in seven counties in Southeast Kansas and has shelters and Child Exchange Visitation Centers in Pittsburg and Coffeyville.

Demand for shelter in the Pittsburg facility had outgrown its capacity.  In addition to limited space, the shelter did not easily accommodate families, required significant safety and security updates and needed costly repairs.  Statistics show that when victims are turned away or have to travel for shelter or assistance, 90% of the time they return to their abuser.

For Safehouse, this was not an acceptable option.  Firmly believing every town should have a Safehouse that can accommodate the needs of every victim seeking help, Safehouse leadership knew they had to raise the funds necessary to help the organization increase its capacity.

Safehouse reached out to Jeffrey Byrne + Associates to help them plan for and undertake the “Building New Opportunities” Capital Campaign to acquire and renovate a new shelter facility.  A Feasibility Study was conducted and the Campaign began immediately after Labor Day. The $1,200,000 Campaign goal was not only reached, but surpassed within a period of two months.

The new Safehouse shelter will be completely renovated with an opening planned in the late spring of 2016. The more modern facility will nearly double current capacity while also expanding support programs and counseling. The new facility will not only offer increased space, but its new, anonymous location and sophisticated security system will also greatly improve the safety and security of clients. The new building will be more efficient to operate and maintain and very importantly, will be supported by the creation of a maintenance fund for those times when unforeseen emergencies arise.

Jeffrey Byrne + Associates, Inc. is proud to have partnered with Safehouse, its committed leadership and Campaign volunteers who worked tirelessly in response to this tremendously important need.

“We were very pleased to hire Jeffrey Byrne + Associates, a decision that turned out to be the right one. Their staff did a wonderful job in gathering the information we needed through a very thorough feasibility study and were most helpful in our recruiting two dynamic campaign co-chairs. JB+A guided us every step of the way and enabled Safehouse to mount a very successful campaign. In fact, we were so well positioned for success, that we were able to reach our goal in only six weeks — well ahead of our initial timeframe.

I am a big fan of JB+A and would heartily recommend them to anyone needing the best in professional fundraising counsel.”

Rebecca Brubaker
Executive Director, Safehouse Crisis Center, Inc.