Our signature fundraiser, “Share the Love” is scheduled for Tuesday, April 23rd this year. This always popular event will be hosted again by Stone Creek Dining on Montgomery Road in Cincinnati. A delicious menu has been selected with some new options available and new raffle items have been added to the list, including a Best of Cincinnati basket. Make your reservations and more today by going to our event’s website. https://sharethelovewithshf.myevent.com
ViaQuest comes to Safe Haven Farms
Safe Haven Farms is happy to announce that we are partnering with a new on-site direct service provider. ViaQuest will be providing the direct care services in both the residential and day programs at Safe Haven Farms. Our current care staff will transition from the previous provider to the ViaQuest team which is a wonderful benefit for the individuals we serve.
Founded in 1999 by CEO Rich Johnson, ViaQuest has grown from a single division in Ohio to serving individuals throughout Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania through their disability, mental health and hospice services divisions. The name ViaQuest represents the overall mission of the company: a group of people on a mission (or Quest) to change the way (Via) healthcare services are delivered.
ViaQuest, Inc. is a healthcare company that believes strongly in choice for its employees and the people it serves. They offer quality, highly personalized, specialized and cost-effective care, empowering individuals to function independently and live their best possible lives. Through a wide range of innovative services referred to as ViaQuest’s Circle of Care, skilled, dedicated employees ensure that the people served are active participants in their own care. To learn more, go to: https://viaquestinc.com
Welcome ViaQuest to Safe Haven Farms!
Solar Expansion Complete - A Dream Fulfilled
Since the official opening of Safe Haven Farms in 2010, we have envisioned having solar to supply our energy needs. Now 13 years later, our vision has come full circle. Thanks to the generous support of All Points North Foundation, Safe Haven Farms has been able to add the final phase to our solar array. This phase will add 25.4 kW to our current 69 kW PV-DC system. Moving forward Safe Haven Farms is on track to save an additional 12% on our monthly electric bills with a total annual savings of close to 38%. These savings will allow us to focus more funding on vital farm programs and much needed farm improvements to support adults with developmental disabilities. We appreciate the continued partnership with those who made this milestone possible, All Points North Foundation, Kokosing Solar, and Butler Rural Electric Cooperative. https://bit.ly/49cIeBp
Share the Love Dinner Event to benefit Safe Haven Farms
Our signature fundraiser, “Share the Love” is scheduled for Tuesday, April 25th this year. This always popular event is now in it’s 9th year and will be hosted again by Stone Creek Dining on Montgomery Road in Cincinnati. A delicious menu has been selected and some new raffle items have been added to the list. Make your reservations and more today by going to our event’s website. https://sharethelovewithshf.myevent.com
Share the Love with Safe Haven Farms - April 26, 2022
Our annual “Share the Love” dinner is set for Tuesday, April 26th this year. The event will be hosted by Stone Creek Dining on Montgomery Road in Cincinnati. We have a wonderful menu planned and some exciting raffle prizes. Make your reservations and more today by going to our event’s website. https://sharethelovewithshf.myevent.com
Welcome Janie Cochran!
The Board of Directors at Safe Haven Farms is excited to announce the hiring of our first Executive Director, Janie Cochran. Janie comes to us from PARACHUTE: Butler County (CASA) Court Appointed Special Advocates where she was their recruitment and development specialist. Her work experience includes volunteer recruitment, fundraising event coordination, grant writing, community outreach, marketing/social media and public speaking. She is a graduate of Morehead State University and has previously worked as a high school home economics teacher and a fabric and color specialist.
Janie serves as an active member of the Middletown Chamber of Commerce, UCBMA, Hamilton Joes Board of Directors, Power of the Purse Giving Circle and has been an advisor to Miami University’s Chi Omega chapter for 20 years. She resides in Hamilton with her 2 children Chloe, a recent Miami University graduate and Gabriel, who participates in Project Life at Butler Tech.
We were thrilled that Janie had familiarity with farming. She grew up on her family’s dairy farm in Kentucky and stated that she wants the Safe Haven “farmers” to have the continued opportunity to share meaningful experiences much like she remembers from her time on the farm.
Janie will be taking on operations and functions which the Board has carried for the past ten years, so we are all delighted to have her here.
WELCOME Janie!
Registration now open for the 2020 Virtual Walk
Our annual “Walk On” event to support the equestrian program is taking a new Virtual format for 2020. That’s right, it’s BYOA this year — Bring Your Own Alpaca! Or not. Your alpaca is optional. Registration is now open. Click here to go to our 2020 Virtual Walk information page to learn about this exciting new event format and get all the details. We are truly thankful for all the support the community has provided during this event every year, and especially so during this challenging year.
A Volunteer Extraordinaire
Safe Haven Farms has always considered itself a community resources. Not only do we provide homes for those with developmental disabilities, employment for many, and services for those in the community with special needs, we welcome volunteers with a variety of skills and abilities. Volunteers often discover, as someone once said, that it is only by giving that you receive more than you already had.
For several months Safe Haven Farms has been blessed with the work of Sarah Wisecup, a new volunteer. Sarah is able to live independently, but her parents live near the farm. One day the family dropped in for a tour, and Sarah fell in love with Safe Haven and the animals. Before the COVID-19 stay-at-home order she drove to the farm three days a week to give a helping hand exercising Jack, the mini, walking him around the farm and feeding him carrots. Sarah says the exercise helps her, too. Mattie, Safe Haven’s black lab, is her special friend. He follows her around the farm as she does her volunteer tasks.
Sarah’s dad Wilbur was also inspired to help. With his tractor he tilled an area along the tree line for a shade garden for plants that are intolerant of full sun. Dad says that Sarah’s volunteering has changed her life. Yes, but Sarah’s volunteer work is changing the lives of all who meet her. This generous family was enriched by the opportunity for accomplishment Safe Haven offers, and we are blessed by their generosity.
Equestrian Program Preparing to Resume in Late Spring
As we reach the end of another winter season, preparations are being made to restart the equestrian program for 2020 in late spring. With indoor and outdoor arenas the program is enjoyed by participants with developmental disabilities every year. Program participants can ride the horses if they choose, or they can enjoy therapeutic interaction with the horses without riding. Participants can be of any age, and they do not have to be residents or day program participants at Safe Haven to enjoy the equestrian program.
Have questions, want to learn more, or ready to register for the program? Click here to send a message to the equestrian team: https://www.safehavenfarms.org/equestrian-inquiry
A Job Well Done!
For the past 12 years Denny Rogers has served as President of Safe Haven Farms’ Board of Directors. Denny has given crucial leadership and thousands of house of planning and work as a founding board member. His contribution to the success of Safe Haven Farms cannot be exaggerated. Denny’s daughter, Emily, has been the inspiration in all his efforts. Denny, there are not enough kudos and thank-yous.
Denny continues to serve Safe Haven Farms as a member of the Board of Directors, as Treasurer, and as a volunteer in various other capacities. Pamela Lockwood now serves as Safe Haven’s President.
Seen at the annual Share the Love dinner/fundraiser in February 2020, new President Pam Lockwood, left, and past President Denny Rogers, right.