by John Dowd
After over a year of waiting, the Supporters of Abuse Free Environments (SAFE) held their open house and ribbon cutting last Friday. The $2 million building expansion took nearly 13 months to complete, as the project officially broke ground in September of 2023. Several staff had to relocate their offices into the basement of Hamilton City Hall, in the old police department, while the expansion project happened.
During the opening remarks prior to cutting the ribbon, Hamilton Mayor Dominic Farrenkopf – dressed in a turkey costume for holiday fundraising – said, “I wish SAFE didn’t have to exist,” however, “our community is blessed to have them.” Farrenkopf was there to cut the ribbon and also to fundraise for SAFE.
Stacey Umhey, SAFE executive director, also spoke before the ribbon cutting. “This is the day we get to be just grateful,” said Umhey. She thanked several organizations and individuals, including the City of Hamilton, for supporting them for 13 months, as well as “putting their trust in us to steward some pretty significant grant funding.”
Umhey told the story of how the expansion project was started. During this, she thanked Gary Locke, with the Bitterroot Family Shelter. Umhey said he is the one that contacted Umhey, saying there would be a city meeting discussing available funding. She attended that meeting, under the impression that she was there in support of Locke. However, he did not show up for his organization. To her surprise, he encouraged her to attend with the objective in mind that the funding was to support SAFE and an expansion of their shelter.
Finally, she thanked the staff, who had one of their busiest years ever. Over the last year, the staff answered over 500 emergency calls, provided over 3,525 nights of shelter to over 70 people and saw to it that nearly 90 sex crimes were reported. Proud of their past year, and excited for the future, Umhey added, “You guys, we did it! We built a shelter!”
The new facility includes eight bedrooms, six of which have their own bathrooms. Brooke Angst, SAFE director of marketing and development, later added that these rooms may accommodate several family members, such as mother and children. The new expansion also includes a large private gathering space, which Umhey is extremely excited about. “We didn’t even have a table big enough for a family to sit down at,” said Umhey. “Now, multiple families can sit together and have a meal.”
For Umhey, a lot of the project has come to allow “Opportunity to gather.” That sense of support is important to the mission of SAFE. Furthering that point, on the other side of the new expanded building, there is another big meeting room for fundraising and events, as well as a kitchen, offices and a childcare/playroom. This space will be utilized for SAFE’s weekly child support group. The increased space will not only allow SAFE to house more people seeking support, but also allow many more opportunities for people involved with the program to congregate.
SAFE was founded by the Soroptomists of Hamilton in 1988. The organization was renamed SAFE in 1991. Umhey got involved with SAFE in 1997, after moving to the area from Syracuse, New York. She worked for a similar organization there and was hired on as program coordinator for SAFE. In 1999, she became executive director.
The organization started as a network of safe homes for threatened women and their children. Eventually the organization got their own home and thought about one day having a large shelter. Over the years, SAFE grew to include several safe spaces for families, including transitional housing, allowing families a place in the interim while looking for permanent housing.
In 1995, a private philanthropist purchased the property in Hamilton that SAFE would begin to use for their temporary and transitional housing. The same space was utilized for offices and other services provided by SAFE. The property was also the location on which the expansion would take place. According to Umhey, they needed to “update the way we do shelter.” This was because they have gotten so many calls the last few years. According to Angst, they need to turn down an average of 40 families a year. “That is unacceptable,” added Angst.
Umhey said the new space will provide more opportunities to families, allowing SAFE to avoid having to turn people away. Not only that, but the space itself is “so much more supportive of safety and healing,” said Umhey. For her, it will also be much more of a “great launching pad,” for a “more supportive future,” for families.
Umhey spoke on the additions that promote that feeling of safety and security. Working with the architecture firm, she said she learned how spaces can help or hinder people in healing from trauma. To this end, the rooms all have doors that can be locked, and peep holes so “they don’t ever have to open their doors without knowing who is on the other side,” said Umhey.
Angst has been with SAFE since mid-2022 and handles fundraising, events and donors. She said the job is extremely fulfilling. She is so thankful for the immense support from the community and believes part of this support comes from SAFE’s proven track record.
Angst described the new expansion as “beautiful” and “amazing for our survivors.” She agreed with Umhey, saying that it provides them with more opportunities to heal. “We are just really excited to be reconnected and to continue to do all the work we are good at,” said Angst.
Interested parties can visit SAFE’s website, www.safeinthebitterroot.org to volunteer or donate. They are always looking for volunteers for the thrift store, as well, and they have a long Amazon wishlist of things they need. That information is available as well. SAFE can be contacted by calling (406) 363-2793. Their 24-hour crisis line is available, for anyone in an emergency or in fear for their life, by calling (406) 363-4600.
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