Went here after an abusive relationship, had a member of their staff pursue me romantically and ended up in a toxic relationship that was more damaging than the one I was seeking refuge from. Completely preyed upon my vulnerable emotional state and took advantage of me. Disgusting.
New dop and ceo have driven ss donors away. They also put a freeze to not accepting victims because they not enough staff. Ppl quit or dropped down because of this new management. Board if you are reading this call and get a count of employees lost this last month. And everyone now knows that Hispanic ppl seem to be the preferential ppl to hire with new dop. She make it obvious and think no one see this. Board if you are reading this look into that too. Imagine not accepting women and children and then bragging that visit from dcf was passesd. That funny because anyone can do that. Fill this shelter to the max and do all programs and then see if you pass! ss truthfully not doing good. Call the statewide hotline or help before you call this place. Some of the staff done been offered the dop position and to see her like she on cloud nine but not helping these women and children is aggravating to all staff that are left. Do the job or move on and give it to someone who. Yes that’s right ppl in the program know this information!!
There is a male at this organization that uses colorful language. Others tell me he is the lead and also here him say that me and women getting services are bitches. They no staff sometime. I have several photo of a paper that say be back in five minutes. They never came back. They people in here need help with drug use they addicts. They some staff tell me they a new director of programs and she want to give addicts several try before something happen. Women using needle heroin meth cocaine Molly . Walk around smoke weed. They say new director tell them to give SEVERAL warning. Addict are causing people that been clean to start to use again. People in here with warrant they try to stay away from police. They new director has big fancy handbag she tote on her arm like she royalty or something. Drive an Audi like she special. I can’t get a towel tho. They no fund to give basic need to us but she gone act different to are face like she care tho and say thing gone change. She getting money and doing dumb thing like telling employees to do this and that she think appearance of this place gone make it better. Lady we need help. forget about how the garbage get taken out or if the cleaning lady in a bad mood about cleaning she chose to work here and clean. I respect her but she moody and they important thing a director need to be helping with. You up in here harass you’re staff and forget about us.
This is a complete shill operation for embezzlement and obtaining fraudulent grant funding. I went through this program as a victim and I was personally appalled at not only what I personally experienced but also what i witnessed. The short version: They do literally nothing for the participants aside from providing a bed for 8 weeks. There are no programs to assist in housing. Every day theres a woman crying bc her exit Daye is nearing and she has nowhere to go. Their solution? They send you to a charity that provides them with a tent. A TENT.. this is their suggestion upon the expiration of your 8 weeks, this is common practice when the grant money for each victims emergency sheltering expires.. there's no transportation provided to work, school or anywhere in spite of having 3 vans, staff turnover is insanely high (no one with a moral compass can stay there long), many participants are simply homeless and use it as a free place to stay, there's no food that isn't expired, the programs they claim on their 990 literally do not exist, there are more directors that hole up in their run down strip mall style admin office than staff present in shelter, there's widespread drug use amongst participant. Here's one tho.. they claim on their website while trying to solicit donations that the grants they receive only cover 60% of their operational costs and that they need the other 40% in donations and yet according to their own tax records, their surplus revenue totaled roughly $400k more than the total amount in donations they claimed to receive.. They literally retained every donated dollar and a portion of the grant money as surplus. Shouldn't there be a deficit of at least 40% if their claims are true? So my question to them is, is this a bold face lie or are you admitting that you dont provide 40% of the programs that are actually required of you to provide in order to receive state funding? I could go on all day after what I've experienced here but PLEASE just hear me when I say this.. stop donating to this corrupt ring of criminals. If you really want to help the victims, help them directly. I can even put you in touch with some of them if you'd like. Everyone who has been thru there will confirm what im saying is fact. But the crime ring knows its almost impossible to seek out or find past participants due to the confidentiality factor. This is the very reason that I made sure to keep in touch with as many participants as i could and get as many of their contact information as possible while there. I know your hearts are in the right place as a donor, your intentions are pure but you donations are being used to literally hurt the very people that youre trying to help. This organization inly serves to further victimize the very ones they are claiming to help. It's absolutely disgusting and they need to be stopped. Anyone desiring to hear more or see proof of my claims here is welcome to email me at anonymoussender1957@gmail.com Although I can't reveal certain elements as of yet bc I'm wholeheartedly committed and actively moving to expose this, I can show you enough to back up every word i said here and quite frankly it will make you sick to your stomach. This company needs to be exposed. Much like Tiffany Carr and FCADV were eventually exposed. She thought she was untouchable too. Only no one is untouchable. And ALL financial crimes have a paper trail and I can't wait to testify at each and every one of their Federal trials. Your day is coming, SafeSpace. And I promise you it's nearer than you think..
Edit: Upon reading the other reviews (which I hadn't prior to this post) it is evident that I am not the first to notice the fraud and corruption taking place here although it appears that that review is now gone. If the author of the accusations/former board member that posted the review that the others here are referring to is reading this, PLEASE contact me. It is imperative that we speak as this has cleary been going on for far too long and has to end NOW!!!
I have been involved with SafeSpace for a number of years, first as a volunteer and then as a board member. The agency provides much-needed services to victims of domestic violence, and is the only certified agency on the Treasure Coast. As a certified agency, we are subject to annual audits by state agencies for finances as well as programs. SafeSpace is considered a model agency within the state, and has pioneered the program for women without dependent children to get back on their feet. In addition to the state's audit, we have an outside accounting firm conduct an annual audit of our finances. The accounting firm's audit and recommendations are brought before the full board of directors for review. After the review, the board votes on whether to accept the audit; in the last five or so years that I have been on the board, no discrepancies were found, the recommendations were accepted, and the audit was approved. It has been gratifying to talk to agency participants and hear how SafeSpace has saved and changed their lives.
I am shocked and find the review by the Oct. 24, 2016 "Writer" beyond belief. I have been a volunteer for several years as well as past chair of the Friends of SafeSpace, Martin County, and I'm currently on the Board. My husband also volunteered as "The Maintenance Dept" until he passed away. I know the compassion for the victims and their children shown by the Administration, Board, and Associates, as well as the volunteers who assist in raising funds for SafeSpace. How could annual audits, United Way and Guidestar possibly be wrong in their findings? Why has this person turned against SafeSpace? I find the review so insulting to the many dedicated folks who bring such needed help to people in need. Joan C. Smith
I first became familiar with SafeSpace, its staff and its mission, as the chairman of a United Way Citizen Review Panel. “CRPs” are committees made up of generally a dozen or so community volunteers who review United Way funded entities. The review is thorough, including the agency’s adherence to their mission and vision statements, their pledged and achieved measurable outcomes, and an in-depth analysis of the agency’s audited financial statements. Audits are conducted by independent CPA firms skilled in reviewing and analyzing the statements of 501C3 non-profit organizations. Any discrepancies or practices outside the norms of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles would be noted in a “management letter.” I can state that, during the couple of occasions in which I chaired the UW CRPs that reviewed SafeSpace’s applications, no management letter expressing concern about financial management practices or prudent stewardship of resources was ever offered. Additionally, our panels considered issues such as executive salaries, travel and training budgets, and other budget line items that might be subject to abuse. We found no evidence that these budgets were inflated to provide additional perks for staff. In fact, we found these quite in line with other not-for-profits in our area. It is worth noting that SafeSpace has received Agency Excellence Awards from two local United Ways – a signature recognition considering the many worthy organizations in our area.
I was so impressed with SafeSpace that, when my term as a member of the United Way Board of Directors came to an end, I was pleased and honored to be approached by the SafeSpace Board Chair to consider serving on their board of directors. I readily agreed, had the privilege of serving for several years, and in my final board year had the honor of serving as board chair myself. I am proud of SafeSpace, the extraordinary work that is done by staff on all levels, and, most especially, of the immense positive impact that the organization has on the lives of the many vulnerable victims that we have the sacred responsibility to serve.
We at SafeSpace take our work seriously. It is much more than work, it is a calling and it has affected many of us personally. SafeSpace works with over 1000 victims every year and we speak with well over 2000 on our 24/7 Hotline. Anonymous postings like the previous review are difficult in that we cannot address the issues directly, since we have no idea what exactly the concerns are or where they are coming from. I can only say that if the person was a Board Member as they indicated, they made a commitment to oversee and protect the organization against fiduciary irresponsibility. If in fact, they had concerns about ANY corrupt activities the organization was engaged in, it was their responsibility to report it and help oversee and deal with it, not resign.
We welcome any feedback, positive or negative from employees, volunteers, Board Members, Donors, or concerned citizens. Constructive information helps us to be the best and provide the best, for the most vulnerable people in life or death situations. If anyone has knowledge of any corrupt actions within the organization, it is truly my wish as the CEO, that they will inform the proper officials so that this can be investigated and dealt with.
SafeSpace has earned Platinum level on Guidestar, something that requires the highest degree of transparency in terms of our financials, and practices. If interested in looking at the abundance of information about the practices of SafeSpace please go to the following Guidestar link https://www.guidestar.org/profile/59-1983994
Many thanks to ALL the SafeSpace employees, Board Members, volunteers and donors who work tirelessly on behalf of victims of domestic violence and their children on the Treasure Coast. YOU make SafeSpace a truly "GREAT nonprofit"!