Lauren Wilkie of Safelight Family Finds Her Passion Population
Photo Credit: Brooke Parker Photography
Safelight Inc. Executive Director Lauren Wilkie says, “I love being a licensed social worker, I get to do a little bit of everything!” Lauren is uniquely qualified with advanced social work licensure in advanced practice and clinical practice. She has been a key player working with nonprofits for 21 years, focused on directing and developing programs. She specializes in community and organizational change through program revitalization while maximizing potential.
Lauren is both a visionary and a practical optimist who has the tenacity for hard work and perseverance to get things done right. She has worked in various roles and settings, directing, and developing programs with different size nonprofit and government agencies. She has helped hundreds of staff and student interns join the field of social work through years. She spent eight teaching in the evenings also with the University of South Carolina College of Social Work and training students.
Lauren has received recognition by the University of South Carolina as a field instructor of the year, an inaugural top ten Capital Young Leaders, a Live United Award with United Way, and a Paul Harris Fellow Award from Rotary International. In 2020, she was recognized by the SC National Association of Social Workers as the social worker of the year.
Lauren has served as the Executive Director of Safelight in Hendersonville, NC since August 2021. Their mission of ‘Creating Hope, Healing Lives, Changing Community,’ has been serving Henderson County since 1984. Safelight is a non-profit organization offering comprehensive programming for survivors of interpersonal violence and abuse.
Lauren explains that Safelight provides a multifaceted approach to counteracting abuse and violence in the community. “We have transformed as an agency to create a continuum of programs and services taking someone from crisis to sustainability through case management, counseling, housing, and employment.”
In her second year, Lauren ensured the purchase and renovation of a new facility to house four of Safelight’s six programs. In her three years, she has helped Safelight double and diversify their annual budget. Currently she is overseeing the renovation of their three-story facility for more efficient and effective programming. “I love doing a job where I get to be a part of empowering people and transforming lives. I get to help build programs and fill gaps for services with an incredible team who is helping heal our communities' most vulnerable.”
All Safelight’s services and programs are offered free-of-charge in a secure, safe environment conducive to recovery from abuse and trauma. “Our organization has evolved from a strictly crisis-driven agency to one that develops and delivers long-term safe services. Addressing community needs such as sustainable housing, financial health with onsite paid job training, accessible mental health and healthcare, and access to other community resources,” Lauren explains, adding that by removing barriers, Safelight’s services heal lives and create a safer, healthier community. “Through our continuum of programs, we help survivors begin the process of overcoming physical, emotional, and financial trauma. These include a 24/7 emergency shelter and hotline for survivors, counseling center with individual and support group services, an accredited child advocacy center performing child medical exams and forensic interviews, a family advocacy center offering legal, law enforcement and medical advocacy and support, community engagement including access to affordable housing and paid job training onsite, and outreach for prevention and education in our community.”
“Some only need us a few days to get to a safe family member or friend. Sometimes survivors need us with them for the long haul,” Lauren says, sharing a story of one woman Safelight helped. “For the past six years we have worked with a survivor escaping violence from her home country to get her green card. Then within months, she had her NC ID and now her degree from Blue Ridge Community College! Safelight serves survivors throughout their lives, whenever we are needed. We are embedded in this community providing safety.”
“I am thankful to work with such a dedicated and remarkable staff. I work with people who are here to empower survivors. The stories are often difficult to hear, and the journey can be long as we are helping someone transform their life,” Lauren acknowledges. “My team’s passion and those who built the foundation before us is why we continue changing lives in our community with safe, full-service programs.” With incredible support from board members, donors, volunteers, partners, and community leaders, Lauren takes pride in sharing that Safelight has helped over 45,000 survivors since 1984.
“Staff, volunteers, clients, interns, and donors of Safelight should all be proud of what we have created. This includes programs such as the first Domestic Violence Intervention Program in NC (1986), financial support from NC marriage license filing fees to go to help survivors (1987), first resale store in western NC (1990), and the first nationally accredited child advocacy center in NC (1990).
Safelight also operates the largest survivor shelter in Western North Carolina with capacity for forty beds in thirteen family rooms. “What makes us exceptional is that we are one of only a few survivors serving community-based agencies in the world providing services for anyone (men, women, children, families) who have experienced any type of violence and abuse. In 2022, our new facility allowed for all six of our programs to be within walking distance of each other for safer, faster services for our survivors.”
“Together, we are breaking barriers!” Lauren emphasizes. “By partnering with us, you change lives. You help us build a safer community. Tell everyone you met about Safelight! This helps those who may need us to link to our services. Come volunteer, eat at our café, and shop at our resale store to support our mission. Come tour with me and see what we continue to build. I am immensely grateful to be a part of such an incredible community!”
For more information on Safelight, call their 24/7 hotline 828.693.3840 or visit their website www.safelightfamily.org