Evie Safran

I began my teaching career in the Four Year Old Program in Charlottesville City Schools in 1990.In 2004, the International Rescue Committee sponsored many refugees from Africa, Bosnia, Afghanistan and other countries in conflict.I had the opportunity to teach the young children of these refugees, and because of the nature of this program, I was involved with their families as well.

In 2010, when I retired from teaching, I started volunteering at The Haven, a homeless shelter on Market Street.At first I made snacks for PACEM during the registration process for overnight Winter sleepovers in local churches and the synagogue.After a while, I started cooking breakfast at The Haven three mornings a week.In 2018, I became the manager of The Haven Lunch Cafe.This Cafe was open to the public one day a week and run by our guests who participated as servers, cooks, hosts and prep people.The Cafe staff, (our unhoused population), learned practical restaurant skills and received a salary for each shift they worked.The Cafe was a way for the Charlottesville community to learn about The Haven, and hopefully, see us in a new light. Oftentimes, we served one hundred people in the two hour window that we were open.Unfortunately, due to COVID, we shuttered the Cafe in 2020.

One of the greatest joys of working at The Haven is the opportunity to donate food to refugee families and other underserved people in need.The Haven receives many food donations that we cannot use either fast enough or food that doesn’t fit our breakfast needs.I, and other volunteers, bag this food for distribution.I want to ensure that people get fed and that the food does not get wasted or thrown away in the landfill.I guess I could say that getting food to people is my mission.