The John and Melissa Besse Foundation donated $10,000 to Tri County Safe Harbor Inc. for operation.
The donation supplements federal, local and state grant funding that is used to operate the agency. Tri County Safe Harbor serves victims of intimate partner domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and dating violence. They have been in operation since 1982 serving Delta, Menominee and Schoolcraft Counties. The shelter has 15 beds and is located in Escanaba. They house women and children at the shelter, although they do not house men and their children at the shelter they do assist with providing a safe place for them.
Tri County Safe Harbor also provides other services including a 24-hour crisis line, court support, advocacy, transportation, assistance with personal protection orders, and information and referrals to other agencies. Staff can also provide advocacy and support to a victim if they are in the hospital after an assault. There are outreach offices in Manistique and Menominee that offer the same services a victim could seek from the shelter.
“While we receive federal and state grants to run our program, the amount we receive doesn’t cover all of our expenses. We rely heavily on the support from our community throughout the year,” said Erin Viau, Executive Director of Tri County Safe Harbor. “The work that we do at Tri County Safe Harbor could not happen without contributions from the community. Any amount donated is appreciated and needed. We are so grateful to the John and Melissa Besse Foundation for this donation!”
In 2021 Tri County Safe Harbor provided assistance to 117 women, 24 children and one man. They received 744 crisis calls and provided 1,277 shelter nights to those in need.
If someone is in need of services from Tri County Safe Harbor, they can call the 24/7 helpline at 906-789-1166. To make a donation to our agency, please contact Erin at 906-553-7357 or visit our webpage at www.safe3c.com
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