A Second Home

Safe Homes is the place I go to get away from the problems.  It's where situations get a solution or just a suggested solution.  Safe Homes just doesn't help me, it helps all the other teens that come here.
This place has become more than just a place, it's a second home to all of us.  This place keeps most of us teenagers out of trouble.  It's mostly where I rely on for help and people that know me, we are like a great big family here.  ~ Meg

Safe Homes: A Place to feel Safe, Secure and Cared For

Safe Homes is one of the things every week that is always something to look forward to.  It is a place where anyone and everyone can feel safe, secure and cared for.  For some, it is a place to escape parents who are always fighting, bullies at school, or an unstable home.
To me, Safe Homes is something that has marked a decade.  If it were to disappear dozen of youth would be devastated, heart broken, and may not have any safe place to go.  In the community, Safe Homes makes a difference by teaching youth and adults to be respectful to one another and find new ways to interact; participating in local activities and events, and does what I have seen no program do.  It responds to the call of duty, and makes a truely remarkable difference. Without a place like Safe Homes I don't know w ho could possibly do the same work that Safe Homes does.  ~ Safe Homes Youth

I Am Not Alone in This Struggle

To me Safe Homes is more than just a program.  For a very, very long time I struggled with my sexual orientation.  All around me t here were people telling me that liking any other gender besides boys was wrong.  Safe Homes was the first place to give me the tools to cope with those kinds of people and it improved my understanding of issues in the LGBT community as well.
Since becoming a faithful attendent of Safe Homes I have become more than just a peer leader or a frequent visitor of the drop-in: I am an advocate for the LGBT Community.  But Safe Homes isn't just a place to learn about that kind of stuff.  It's a safe haven.  This program plucks kids off the street.  Kids who could be on the verge of suicide or just completely alone, and gives them hope.  Safe Homes is the only place I know of that provides the kind of resources youth today need.  For me it showed me that I am not alone in this struggle and it's changed me forever.
If Safe Homes ceased to run, so many youth would lose that one thing they look forward to every week. Without Safe Homes they won't have anywhere else to turn.  We can not let that happen, no matter what it takes because no kid deserves to go through that kind of struggle alone.

Safe Homes means so MUCH to me

Safe Homes means so much to me.  It is the most worthwhile thing that I have ever had the honor of being a part of.  It is the one thing that I look forward to every week.
It does not matter who you are, you are accepted.  You have a family.
Without Safe Homes I would have no one to turn to, and no where to call home.
~ Jenna

Why I Come to Safe Homes

I come to Safe Homes because of the friends I have made and everything I have learned.  If Safe Homes were to shut down I would have lost a place to meet and know I am accepted. ~ Anonymous

Coming Out As Being Bisexual

What does Safe Homes mean to me? I've been starting to come here recently on a regular basis but already it  means so much to me.  Safe Homes is a place where you can be yourself, have fun, and get support if you need it.  We're an LGBT group and I'm finally coming out as being bisexual.  Safe Homes has helped me through the process fo figuring out who I am.  So far it as made me feel comfortable and cared for.  If we were to lose Safe Homes a lot of us would not know what to do. We depend on this program.  Thursday Nights, Safe Homes is always the highlight of the week, it's easier to get through the week.  Everyone who comes loves the program.  It doesn't matter who you are, you're always welcome.  There's many people to meet so you feel accepted and loved.  ~ Brigitte

Safe Homes is Not Just For LGBTQ Youth But Allies Too

Safe Homes means a lot to me.  If not for here I probably would not be so fond of queer youth, a little homophobic, but Safe Homes got me away from that.  I never would have met the friends here if not for Safe Homes and they are awesome people.  The adult advisors are very nice adn really liven the place up.  We all have a lot of fun and learnd to accept someone for who they are.  We do a lot of activities and they are organized by the Peer Leaders.  I am a Peer Leader and this place means a lot to us.
~ Safe Homes Peer Leader

Words Do Hurt

Before Safe Homes I did not really think about how words affected people and how people here are so nice.  Being at Safe Homes I made 25 friends.  Safe Homes to me is a place where I can just have a good time and meet new people and learn about people and how to treat them.  ~ Safe Homes Youth

Safe Homes is Always There

To me Safe Homes is a place I can go no matter what.  In times of hardship I can come here and feel safe and be accepted.  This is the only program that I can come to and do that.  Without this program many others would have no resources or even the ability to help.  This is a group effort and it is part of the community and its duty to help one another. ~ JTR


Safe Homes is the only place I feel normal.  It helps me get away from snide remarks of the outside world.  I feel better coming here and it helps me make friends.  Safe Homes makes a lot of people feel a lot better. It is a very important place for everyone who comes here.  ~ Safe Homes youth