A New Wave: Coronado SAFE Becomes Safe Harbor
Coronado SAFE, the only mental wellness nonprofit in Coronado, has officially changed its name to Safe Harbor Coronado. On August 18, 2021, Safe Harbor launched its new name at an official ribbon-cutting by the Chamber of Commerce alongside key community leaders and local champions of wellness. “Safe Harbor is really about community and connection. In fact, there is something for every community member at Safe Harbor,” says Executive Director, Georgia Chakos Ferrell. “We encourage everyone to be a ‘Champion of Wellness’ by participating, volunteering, or donating. As a community we can remove barriers, cultivate hope, and empower youth and families to be resilient and thrive right here in our home town.”
Why Safe Harbor?
The change to Safe Harbor is both a signaling of their commitment to building resiliency in youth and families, through emotional and behavioral programing, as well as addressing the growing mental-health needs of the Coronado community.
As the Coronado community evolves and changes, Safe Harbor recognizes the need to adapt in order to fulfill the community needs. Safe Harbor encapsulates what the organization does best: providing a refuge for youth and families to become the best version of themselves through community education, parent and youth programs, and counseling.
Whether one is going through a tough season or is looking for proactive parenting workshops, Safe Harbor tailors their programs to meet everyone wherever they are in their journey. They have access to the tools, resources, and industry professionals that families need to navigate the ever-changing landscape of parenting and adolescence.
Safe Harbor’s Mark in the Community
Coronado SAFE was founded in 1998, originally for the purpose of helping at-risk youth deal with the dangers of substance abuse. The acronym SAFE stood for Substance Abuse Free Environment. While the original goal was commendable, the organization realized that there was a much larger purpose at hand: helping the community cultivate the emotional resilience they need to thrive in today’s environment. Safe Harbor has empowered thousands of Coronado residents through fostering healthier relationships, emanating positive self-esteem, and promoting effective communication.
Every community faces its own unique challenges, and Coronado is no different. Safe Harbors programs and services are uniquely crafted around Coronado families and youth, with designated resources to focus specifically on these relevant community issues. From the start of the pandemic, Safe Harbor quickly pivoted its work to become a frontline responder to the emotional health needs of Coronado by offering free wellness screenings to anyone in the community, partnering with Neighbor2Neighbor, providing counseling, and youth and parenting programs through telehealth. As the world continues to change, Safe Harbor has continued to respond.
What’s Next?
Alongside the name change, Safe Harbor aims to provide a fresh perspective on how the community views emotional and behavioral health through new and innovative ways. Looking ahead, Safe Harbor will continue to reach every Coronado member through diverse avenues including on-campus programs for students, grassroot community efforts, newspaper and magazine articles, social media, hybrid in-person and online events, wellness presentations to local organizations, and more. They hope to give everyone exactly what they need to cultivate resiliency
Notably, recently Safe Harbor headed May’s Mental Wellness Month, partnering with over 35+ Coronado organizations and businesses to host activities to empower Coronado residents to prioritize their wellness. They plan to reach even more residents with tools and resources in May 2022 and throughout the year.
“We are working hard to create community and connection by sparking conversations around emotional and behavioral topics. We know that this changes lives. It can give someone the permission to look inward, to recognize their potential, and to reach out for support when needed. I think about the countless stories of youth that come into our office and are able to say, ‘I’ve never shared this with anyone before.’ and ‘This is the one place I can talk about this.’ I think about the parents that feel burnt out and feel like they’ve tried everything and after working with us say, ‘I feel refreshed. I feel empowered.’ And that’s why we do the work that we do.” Georgia Chakos Ferrell, the Executive Director, explaining the importance of Safe Harbor’s work.
You are invited to be a Wellness Champion today and connect with Safe Harbor to:
· PARTICIPATE in an upcoming dynamic workshop, or receive needed counseling
· VOLUNTEER and work with their staff to support youth and parents
· DONATE to help reach those who need support the most
Visit SafeHarborCoronado.org, sign up for the eNewsletter, and follow Safe Harbor on social media @SafeHarborCoronado. You can reach Safe Harbor’s staff at 619-522-6884. Let’s navigate life together.
