Our History
HAVEN HOUSE SERVICES,
INCORPORATED
…opening doors for youth and families
since 1973
Haven House Services was founded in 1973 as a
private, non-profit agency to provide community based services to “at
risk” youth and their families in Wake County.
The impetus of Haven House surfaced in January
1972, when Rev. Al Dimmock, a local pastor, was in juvenile court
volunteering his services. The court faced the case of a young girl who
could not go home, was not appropriate for training school and had no
other resources. Seeing a great need, this case compelled Rev. Dimmock
and Judge George Bason (presiding Chief District Juvenile Court Judge)
to find a place of refuge for young people experiencing difficult
circumstances. This place became Haven House Services, which was
incorporated on September 11th, 1973. Rev. Dimmock, Judge
Bason and other community leaders discussed, planned and developed
resources to open a group home for girls. On September 29, 1974, the
doors to HAVEN HOUSE FOR GIRLS OPENED. Through federal
funding, HAVEN HOUSE FOR BOYS was opened in December 1975.
Other programs were soon developed in response to
the needs of the community. In March 1981, WRENN HOUSE, the
agency’s crisis intervention program and runaway crisis shelter,
opened. This shelter serves youth and families in crisis offering
24-hour refuge to runaway youth, homeless youth and youth forced to
leave their homes. Additionally it offers counseling to families in
crisis and provides referrals to other community resources.
In November 1981, the PREPARATION FOR
INDEPENDENT LIVING PROGRAM (PILP) opened. PILP prepares young
people ages 16-21 who are homeless, or in imminent risk of homelessness,
for self-sufficiency. Through the Scattered Sites components and
the Outreach Center (October 2003), PILP staff work with youth on
making progress with independent living skills, education, vocation and
issues related to physical and mental health. The Second Round
program, providing structured boxing as an alternative to gang
involvement, began in December 2005.
YOUTH ENRICHMENT SERVICES, a one-on-one
volunteer mentor program, began in June 1983. This program matches at
risk youth with community volunteers who give time, energy and other
resources. Mentors serve as positive role models, confidants and
friends.
In December 1984, Haven House began family
preservation services know as the HOMESTEADERS program.
Homesteaders staff help families in crisis develop effective family
functioning techniques in their own home setting. Families
participating in this program are exposed to family functioning methods
such as structure, rewards, and consequences, which compliment their
existing styles.
SAFE PLACE, the outreach component of Wrenn
House was initiated in May 1987. This network of 200 county-wide
locations assists young people in crisis and arranges for transportation
of youth to Wrenn House. Public locations and businesses along with
nearly one hundred trained volunteers work with Haven House to assist
youth in crisis.
The most recent additions to Haven House Services
include the RESTITUTION AND COMMUNITY SERVICE program
which began in July 2003. This program allows for court involved youth
to conduct community service through organized activities as well as
provide monetary restitution to the victim of their offenses. In
January of 2006 our STRUCTURED DAY program opened. This program
provides an academic alternative to short term suspension for suspended
Wake County middle school students. In August 2006, COMMUNITY
SUPPORT services began to provide strong and effective case
management to clients and families.
For more than 30 years, we have proudly provided
service to the community. Throughout, we have maintained our mission:
“Haven House Services
strengthens the community through programs that produce positive
practices for youth and their families.”
