"My philosophy has always been that people need people to help them get to the next step, if they could have done it on their own, they probably would have.”- Hilary Crosby, Safe Space executive director
The nonprofit Safe Space has historically run an overnight winter shelter during the coldest months in Chico, and a cooling center during the city’s scorching summer heat. With hot weather months away, the nonprofit is expanding its services to provide more resources to unhoused residents.
Since it moved into a new office location on the Esplanade, the group has focused on increasing case management.
"We have about 50 [people] right now that are on our caseload," said Safe Space Executive Director Hilary Crosby. "We just try to find them, and make sure that we can reach them. It's hard when they're moving around town or being moved around town, but we're doing our best."
Crosby said case managers help clients apply for housing, make medical appointments, or put them in touch with other service providers. They also follow up with clients for up to a year after they find permanent housing to make sure they stay housed.
"My philosophy has always been that people need people to help them get to the next step," Crosby said. "If they could have done it on their own, they probably would have.”
Crosby said Safe Space provides “extra encouragement and support.”
"I have a living room. You have a living room. They don't have a living room. So let's give them a living room to come and chill out and decompress a little bit, build community and hang with their friends."- Hilary Crosby, Safe Space executive director
The nonprofit is planning on launching additional daytime services this month. It'll be called Radical Resilience, and will combine life-lesson skills and group craft projects, in addition to giving vulnerable residents a place to hang out during the day.
"I have a living room. You have a living room. They don't have a living room,” Crosby said. “So let's give them a living room to come and chill out and decompress a little bit, build community and hang with their friends."
She said Safe Space is trying to dream up creative things that would be helpful and useful to people. Programs could include instruction on healthy cooking or financial literacy.
"It could be a lot of activities,” she said, “but also maybe we learn something at the same time.”
Crosby said the Radical Resilience program will begin later this month at Safe Space's office on the Esplanade.
