S.A.F.E. House Santa Barbara™ is a 6-bed therapeutic, rehabilitative shelter for minor female survivors
SANTA BARBARA — The Membership of Junior League of Santa Barbara (JLSB) gathered on Monday, Sept. 13 for a fully outdoor September General Membership Meeting where they assembled backpacks with school supplies for the girls at S.A.F.E. (Saving At risk Youth From Exploitation) House Santa Barbara™ as well as goodie bags for the transition age youth who reside at Living Arrows™.
S.A.F.E. House Santa Barbara™ is a 6-bed therapeutic, rehabilitative shelter for minor female survivors of commercial sexual exploitation. It opened May 31, 2018 as a joint effort between JLSB and 4 Kids 2 Kids, Inc which holds the state license and administers the program.
JLSB teamed up again with 4 Kids 2 Kids, Inc. in September 2020 to support Living Arrows™, a fully-licensed Transitional Age Youth housing program that specifically caters to female survivors of sexual exploitation who are aged 18 – 21. By providing financial and material support during the start-up period, JLSB will ensure the stability and longevity of Living Arrows™.
Living Arrows™ opened in August 2020 and is the first of its kind in the tri-county area. It is the next step for many of the S.A.F.E. House Santa Barbara™ graduates, and by staying in the county, the girls’ therapeutic services remain consistent, allowing minimal disruption to their healing process.
The Membership of JLSB also donated cookbooks and put together their favorite recipes for the current residents of Living Arrows, who are ready to start cooking. It was the first of many opportunities for JLSB members and residents of the two programs to connect during the 2021-2022 League Year.
The strategic partnership between JLSB and 4 Kids 2 Kids, Inc. is not only unique in the service of minor survivors of trafficking but also incredibly impactful. The two organizations have been able to change the trajectory of many lives for the better.
Staff from 4 Kids 2 Kids, Inc. was on hand at the Sept. 13 meeting to share updates from their programs. So far, 118 individuals have benefited from 4 Kids 2 Kids, Inc. services since JLSB became involved, with an overwhelming majority having a positive outcome. JLSB will continue to take a supportive role in helping the homes, as well as providing continued wrap-around services to support the needs of the homes and its clients.
To support the League’s strategic partnership with 4 Kids 2 Kids you may donate here. To learn about becoming a League member, please click here.
About
The Junior League of Santa Barbara (JLSB) is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. Chartered in 1924, JLSB has a local history rich with projects that have changed the lives of many of our community members. JLSB facilitated the opening of S.A.F.E. House™ (Saving At-risk youth From Exploitation House), a 6-bed, residential shelter in Santa Barbara County for girls who are survivors of sexual exploitation and sex trafficking; additionally, JLSB supported the founding and opening of Living Arrows, a 6-bed Transition Age Youth (TAY) housing program that specifically caters to female survivors of sexual exploitation who are aged 18-21. Other notable contributions include the launch of the Sexual Assault Response Team Cottage (SART Cottage) located at Cottage Hospital, bone marrow and blood drives, Eastside Library renovation and Downtown Public Library programs to improve youth literacy. For more information call 805-963-2704, visit the website at JLSantaBarbara.org, or connect on Facebook and Twitter @JLSantaBarbara.
