Public Relations Guide for Rural Housing Organizations (manual

Stop Abusive Family Environments, Inc., Welch, W.Va.Stop Abusive Family Environments (SAFE) began as a badly needed domestic violence shelterin the early 1980s with a budget of $44,000 and two employees. By 1996 the organization wasbuilding affordable housing and managing its own construction company; the budget hadgrown to $250,000. In 2002 SAFE’s budget was $4.4 million.Sharon Walden, founder and executive director of SAFE, was the daughter of a coal minerwhen Welch was a company town; she appreciated the friendly atmosphere of a town whereresidents could walk to all needed services, which were provided by the coal company. As anadult, Sharon felt strongly motivated to do all she could for the survival of Welch despite itssharp drop in population when local mining operations ceased. Her goals expanded toproviding economic opportunities for the whole community. By 2002 SAFE’s staff included afull-time business coordinator who helped 15 micro-enterprises in the community.Welch had no movie theater; there was not even one laundromat in all of McDowell County.Sharon determined that a new townhouse subdivision under construction by SAFE would havea community center with a laundromat, thrift store, office space, child care center, andcomputer lab.In keeping with her desire to work with the resources available in the town of Welch, Sharonpaid a local woman to work part-time to create SAFE’s website athttp://wvsafe.fatcow.com/safe.html. The site was based on a slide presentation the womanhad done for Sharon.Sharon did most of her own public relations work, but various other staff did the PR for theirown programs. Sharon was so focused on showing her appreciation of the news media thatshe sent them gifts such as flowers or candy at least once a year.But as Sharon told everyone, she did not do public relations work for the local people; she did itfor the funders.Housing Assistance Council 67