CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) RESOURCE CENTER Read More
Add To Favorites

Safe Berks expands partnerships to serve more survivors

Reading Eagle - 6/13/2022

Jun. 13—Safe Berks has expanded its partnerships to serve more survivors, officials from the nonprofit group said Monday.

Thanks to those partnerships, Safe Berks advocates are now meeting with survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault on site at three new locations: Salvation ArmyHamburg Services Center, 700 S. Fourth St.; Easy Does It, 1300 Hilltop Road, Bern Township; and Clare of Assisi House, 325 S. 12th St.

Those partnerships join a growing number of Berks County organizations that welcome Safe Berks advocates to provide free services and educational programming within their facilities, officials announced.

"We know that meeting with survivors where they are already comfortable helps to alleviate barriers in receiving services," said Stacey Jordan, managing director of community engagement at Safe Berks. "We are rapidly expanding our ability to place Safe Berks advocates at partner sites throughout Berks County."

The Community Outreach & Response Department at Safe Berks was recently formed to bring together programs designed to serve survivors in the community. Department staff also provide educational and awareness programming to organizations throughout the county.

Those on-site support services are available at: Penn State Health St. Joseph hospital, Bern Township and downtown Reading facility; Reading Hospital Tower Health; Berks Community Health Center; Berks County Courthouse; Berks County Jail System; Children's Alliance Center of Berks County; Friend, Inc. Community Services, Kutztown; LGBT Center of Greater Reading; Easy Does It; Salvation ArmyHamburg Services Center; Clare of Assisi House; Berks Technical Institute; Reading Area Community College; Kutztown University; Alvernia University; Albright College; and Penn State Berks Campus.

Safe Berks, which was founded in 1976 as Berks Women in Crisis, provides services and support to survivors at all local health care facilities 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The new department is led by co-managers Meghan Sager and Marissa Pham. Sager provides oversight to the Medical Advocacy Partnership Program, and Pham serves as Sexual Assault Response Team coordinator.

"It has been our goal to create a true community resource center in Hamburg, so those in the rural community don't have to travel into Reading to get help," said Rebecca Netznik, regional manager, Salvation Army. "In addition, Safe Berks clients will be able to benefit from the Hamburg Salvation Army Family Store next door."

"The partnership Easy Does It has with Safe Berks allows residents to obtain services, education and support they may not have experienced otherwise," said Scott Althouse, executive director of Easy Does It. "Easy Does It residents may have experienced significant trauma and abuse throughout their lives and working with Safe Berks allows them to safely process these events and learn skills to walk through their experience instead of avoiding it."

"Because many of our women have been victims of domestic violence or have other traumatic experiences related to their relationships with others, our connection with Safe Berks is very important," said Pam Mills, executive director of Clare of Assisi House. "In our program, we offer evidence-based, trauma-informed, and gender-specific classes and groups, but Safe Berks provides further resources to our women as they need them. For example, starting in June, advocates from Safe Berks are holding a class with our women to teach them about healthy relationships and recognizing red flags and toxic behavior."

Anyone seeking information about arranging a partnership can contact Stacey Jordan at StaceyJ@SafeBerks.org or 610-373-1206 ext. 141.

Safe Berks has a 24-hour hotline at 844-789-SAFE (7233). Those seeking help can also text the words SAFE BERKS to 20121.

___

(c)2022 the Reading Eagle (Reading, Pa.)

Visit the Reading Eagle (Reading, Pa.) at readingeagle.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.