Lily Pad Haven Inc

Programs: Up-fit of 5th lily pad haven homeseptember 2017 - - lily pad haven, inc. (lph) began the process of up-fitting its fifth home in the charlotte region. The home had been offered to lph from a couple who had been volunteers with lph almost since our inception. They had rental property and had said they wanted to one day turn one of those rental homes into a lph home. A volunteer from the area of the home offered to take on the process of overseeing the work needed to turn that house into a home. Lph staff, volunteers, board members and community partners have come together to work to complete the up-fit of the house. Approximately 210 volunteer hours were donated by year end toward this housing project. Community impactdecember 31, 2017 - lph reached the milestone from inception to 2017 year end of raising over $1 million to go toward making a difference in the lives of human trafficking survivors. In 2017, lph provided 16 survivors and their children 3,636 nights of safe housing with an average length of stay of 99 nights. Emotional support animalsin may of 2017, our first guest requested to be exempt from the current lily pad haven, "no pet" policy sharing, "my emotional support animal helps comfort me which regulates my emotions when experiencing symptoms of bipolar and complex ptsd. " a policy was drafted by the lph care team, reviewed by the board to include input from the board legal liaison member, and put into place supporting both emotional support and service animals within set parameters. The policy shares, "lph welcomes the presence of trained service animals assisting guests on its property in areas open to the public consistent with the provisions of this policy and applicable law. Lph is also pleased to allow assistance animals that are necessary to provide guests with disabilities an equal opportunity to use and enjoy lph housing consistent with the provisions of this policy and applicable law. " other program service accomplishments: - lph put the 4th donated vehicle into service, to be utilized by staff, volunteers, and eventually given to guests staying at lph safe houses. - lph worked with nothing bunt cakes to provide birthday cakes and decorations for each guest celebrating birthdays (some for the first time in their lives). By year end, lph helped celebrate the birthdays of 10 guests.