Founded in September 1994, Safe Haven Transitional, Inc. is a nonprofit organization committed to addressing the urgent and ongoing needs of women and children impacted by domestic violence in the metropolitan Atlanta area. Our organization was established in response to the critical gap in transitional housing and supportive services for survivors facing physical, emotional and psychological abuse. For over three decades, Safe Haven has served as a vital bridge between crisis shelters and permanent housing, helping families move from instability to long-term self-sufficiency.
Safe Haven Transitional provides intermediate housing and comprehensive supportive services to single women and mothers with children who are referred from emergency shelters and homeless programs. Many of the individuals we serve are unable to secure permanent housing after short-term shelter stays dues to barriers such as limited income, prior evictions, lack of employment and ongoing safety concerns. Our program addresses these challenges through a structured, trauma-informed model that promotes stability, economic mobility and personal empowerment.
To date, Safe Haven has served more than 26,000 women and children, delivering critical services that include Safe Housing, Food Assistance, Transportation, Empowerment Sessions, Childcare Support, Individual, Group and Mental Health Counseling, Legal Advocacy, Employment Readiness and Housing Placement Assistance. Participants also engage in Life-skills Training, Financial Literacy, Parenting Education, Academic Support for children and Conflict Resolution Training- ensuring a holistic approach to family stabilization.
Our program is guided by three core objectives:
(1) Reduce homelessness among women and children who are survivors of
domestic violence
(2) Equip participants with the tools and resources necessary to secure and
sustain permanent housing
(3) Interrupt the intergenerational cycle of violence through targeted support for
both women and youth.
Our Executive Director
In 1994 Safe Haven Transitional Inc. was founded by Mary E. Winfrey, a survivor of domestic violence. In the 15 years Mary was married to her first husband, she endured physical, emotional and verbal abuse for 11 of those years before finally having the mindset and courage to leave.
After Mary’s healing and restoration process, she turned her pains into gains, hurts into volunteering at a domestic violence emergency shelter. There, Mary realized that many of the women needed more than 30 days and additional services to help them to survive and free themselves from their abuser.
She then began a Safe Haven Transitional program, which is the next step from an emergency shelter that provides longer term housing and supportive services for the women and their children. As a result, Safe Haven started out with one facility and now has five facilities.
Mary has since remarried and her husband loves and respects her and is very supportive in the work and mission of Safe Haven Transitional, Inc.
Mary has received several awards for her dedication, commitment and untiring work in the community on behalf of victims. She has been a guest on various radio broadcast such as 104 .1 FM, 860 AM, 1260 AM, 1340 AM and a guest on several TV broadcasts such as AIB Station, The Women’s Place, WSB Channel 2, and People to People. Featured in several local newspapers such as, Cross Roads, DeKalb Bar News and Rejoice Atlanta, and Safe Haven Transitional’s program was acknowledged in the Essence Magazine.
Mary received an Ambassador of Peace Award from Secretary of State Cathy Cox, a Proclamation of Honor from Senator Stein Miles, District 43, and the Women of Standard’s Appreciation Award from Judge Johnny Panos, and many other Honor’s and recognition presentations and awards.
Mary was a member of the DeKalb County Domestic Violence Task Force, the Faith Based Initiative Task Force for the State of Georgia, and the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, to name a few.
Mary serves in the community and has conducted several workshops, seminars, training sessions to educate, equip and raise the awareness of family violence and helping the public to serve victims more efficiently.
Mary strongly believes that where there are no advisors, the people fall; but with a multitude of advice there is safety.
About Us
Our History
Founded in September 1994, Safe Haven Transitional, Inc. is a nonprofit organization committed to addressing the urgent and ongoing needs of women and children impacted by domestic violence in the metropolitan Atlanta area. Our organization was established in response to the critical gap in transitional housing and supportive services for survivors facing physical, emotional and psychological abuse. For over three decades, Safe Haven has served as a vital bridge between crisis shelters and permanent housing, helping families move from instability to long-term self-sufficiency.
Safe Haven Transitional provides intermediate housing and comprehensive supportive services to single women and mothers with children who are referred from emergency shelters and homeless programs. Many of the individuals we serve are unable to secure permanent housing after short-term shelter stays dues to barriers such as limited income, prior evictions, lack of employment and ongoing safety concerns. Our program addresses these challenges through a structured, trauma-informed model that promotes stability, economic mobility and personal empowerment.
To date, Safe Haven has served more than 26,000 women and children, delivering critical services that include Safe Housing, Food Assistance, Transportation, Empowerment Sessions, Childcare Support, Individual, Group and Mental Health Counseling, Legal Advocacy, Employment Readiness and Housing Placement Assistance. Participants also engage in Life-skills Training, Financial Literacy, Parenting Education, Academic Support for children and Conflict Resolution Training- ensuring a holistic approach to family stabilization.
Our program is guided by three core objectives:
(1) Reduce homelessness among women and children who are survivors of
domestic violence
(2) Equip participants with the tools and resources necessary to secure and
sustain permanent housing
(3) Interrupt the intergenerational cycle of violence through targeted support for
both women and youth.
Our Executive Director
After Mary’s healing and restoration process, she turned her pains into gains, hurts into volunteering at a domestic violence emergency shelter. There, Mary realized that many of the women needed more than 30 days and additional services to help them to survive and free themselves from their abuser.
She then began a Safe Haven Transitional program, which is the next step from an emergency shelter that provides longer term housing and supportive services for the women and their children. As a result, Safe Haven started out with one facility and now has five facilities.
Mary has since remarried and her husband loves and respects her and is very supportive in the work and mission of Safe Haven Transitional, Inc.
Mary has received several awards for her dedication, commitment and untiring work in the community on behalf of victims. She has been a guest on various radio broadcast such as 104 .1 FM, 860 AM, 1260 AM, 1340 AM and a guest on several TV broadcasts such as AIB Station, The Women’s Place, WSB Channel 2, and People to People. Featured in several local newspapers such as, Cross Roads, DeKalb Bar News and Rejoice Atlanta, and Safe Haven Transitional’s program was acknowledged in the Essence Magazine.
Mary received an Ambassador of Peace Award from Secretary of State Cathy Cox, a Proclamation of Honor from Senator Stein Miles, District 43, and the Women of Standard’s Appreciation Award from Judge Johnny Panos, and many other Honor’s and recognition presentations and awards.
Mary was a member of the DeKalb County Domestic Violence Task Force, the Faith Based Initiative Task Force for the State of Georgia, and the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, to name a few.
Mary serves in the community and has conducted several workshops, seminars, training sessions to educate, equip and raise the awareness of family violence and helping the public to serve victims more efficiently.
Mary strongly believes that where there are no advisors, the people fall; but with a multitude of advice there is safety.
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