Safe Harbor
The Hallmark Channel has made a movie of the Safe Harbor boys home in Jacksonville, FL. Several years ago, I worked as an evening house parent at Safe Harbor. I have to say that this was one of the most unique and enjoyable jobs that I have worked. My job was to supervise several teenage boys with troubled pasts. I would make sure they ate dinner, which the boys alternated preparing each night, did their homework and chores, and made it to their boats at curfew. Other than that, we would pretty much just hang out together and have fun doing things like playing paintball, fishing, watching movies, and more. I also led a short Bible study time with them each evening. All in all, the kids were not that bad. They had just made a lot of bad choices in their life that brought them to this point.
I was excited when I found out that the Hallmark Channel was going to be producing a movie about Safe Harbor, because it is such a cool thing that Doug and Robbie Smith do there, and they have such an awesome story about how Safe Harbor came about. The movie is going to air tonight on the Hallmark Channel at 9p/8c. Here is a brief history of Safe Harbor as shared by Robbie Smith:
In 1982, when Doug and I took in our first boys for a short –term stay, we had no idea that this would become our life’s work. But what we were doing with the boys was working. God seemed to have a plan, so we decided to commit ourselves to the boys for one year. In 1984, when we officially incorporated Safe Harbor we had also committed our own financial resources to support the program. We trusted God that even after our own resources were gone that he would help provide the funding if He wanted us to continue. Because we felt that government was not and never would be very good at raising children we decided to accept NO government funding. God has been faithful. For 25 years, through the time, talent and treasure of countless individuals, organizations and businesses, He has blessed Safe Harbor and all of the boys and families we have served.
Since it’s inception the Safe Harbor program has provided each boy with the mental, physical and spiritual strength to succeed in life. The water and boating have always played an integral part in our lives. Life on the water provides serenity and peace, but also unequaled opportunities for life lessons. For these reasons Doug and I utilize the waterfront and vessels as the foundation of the residential, academic and vocational education program.
In 1989, after years of running the program on a flotilla of donated boats along with only short-term temporary land facilities, Safe Harbor came to the present permanent location adjacent to Blount Island. Through the generosity of the Jacksonville Port Authority, who leases a portion of the land to Safe Harbor, and an individual donor who helped the organization purchase a house on the property, the present campus occupies 2 acres on the bank of the St. Johns River.
Sixty-plus donated boats of all sizes fill the docks and the landscape. The vessels serve as housing for the boys and staff; training vessels for marine industry based skills and play an important role in the vocational education and character development programs. While we have kept the unique residential, integrated academic/vocatio program, guided by the Christian foundation the same throughout the past 25 years, the vehicles through which the goals are achieved are constantly changing, never stagnant. Safe Harbor will incorporate any medium to excite, inspire, teach and bring hope to boys we serve.
Our plan for this campus is to increase our census to 30 boys to meet the desperate need for services. Our office receives several placement inquiry calls each day and as many as 20 families are waiting for placement at any time. As funding allows, staff is being increased to accommodate the addition of more boys. Our goal is to have the Jacksonville campus full within 3 years.
Our vision is to help others duplicate the Safe Harbor model in other areas of the country. Doug and I are working on a succession plan that will identify someone to take over the directorship of the Jacksonville campus of Safe Harbor in the future. This would give us the ability to travel as ambassadors for the program and assist others with the establishment of additional programs.
People often try to praise us for the work we have done. But as Doug says, “God does the work, He just lets us hang out here.” We have been blessed beyond imagination. Each boy, each family holds a special place in our hearts and we are deeply appreciative of the sacrifices of the donors and volunteers that have brought Safe Harbor Boys Home to our 25th Anniversary.
Robbie Smith, Founder Safe Harbor Boys Home
