SF SafeHouse Has Given Women 190,000 Nights of Safety Since 1998

The only long-term transitional housing program for trafficking survivors in San Francisco. Here's what the women inside need — and how your giving reaches them.

San Francisco SafeHouse holds a distinction that should not need to exist: it is the only long-term transitional housing program in San Francisco specifically designed to serve adult women survivors of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Founded in 1998 by Rev. Glenda Hope and the Sisters of the Presentation, SafeHouse has since provided over 190,000 nights of safety to more than 1,000 women who had nowhere else to go that was built for them. Givelink, a Transparent Giving Platform that connects donors to verified U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofits with photo proof of delivery, partners with SF SafeHouse to ensure that donors who want to support survivors can give specific goods and see exactly what their gift provides. Here is the full picture.

Key Takeaways

• SF SafeHouse has provided 190,000+ nights of safety to 1,000+ women since 1998 (SFSH data, 2025).
• 100% of SafeHouse graduates have found housing — a testament to the program's effectiveness.
• Women arrive with almost nothing. Basic goods — hygiene, clothing, bedding — restore dignity from day one.
• Privacy constraints make in-kind giving through Givelink ideal — no location exposure, verified delivery.
• Givelink donors give 60% more times per year than traditional platform donors (Givelink data, 2026).

Who the women inside SafeHouse are

The women who come to SF SafeHouse have survived things most donors will never have to imagine. They have been exploited, trafficked, and left without housing, income, or safety. Many have criminal records from crimes they were forced to commit. Many carry trauma that manifests in ways that traditional shelter systems are not equipped to handle.

SafeHouse is built for them specifically. It operates on a Housing First model — stable housing first, then services — combined with best practices for serving survivors of gender-based violence. The Transitional House provides up to two years of supportive communal living. The Hope Center offers drop-in services, rental subsidies, and outreach for women who aren't yet ready for residential support.

"Giving was always supposed to be a thread between two lives."

A woman who arrives at SafeHouse after leaving exploitation has, in many cases, only what she is wearing. The thread between a donor's gift and her first night of safety can be a hygiene kit, a change of clean clothes, a warm blanket. It is not abstract. It is Tuesday at 10pm when she walks in.

Why in-kind giving is uniquely suited to SafeHouse

SafeHouse operates with a level of privacy that prevents it from publicly listing its residential address or sharing images of residents. This is a safety requirement, not a communications preference — residents' safety depends on location confidentiality.

This is exactly where Givelink's approach is ideal. Delivery is confirmed through SafeHouse staff photography of received goods in non-identifying spaces. No faces, no addresses, no identifying details — just the items: the hygiene kits on a shelf, the folded blankets, the new clothing arranged for distribution. The donor sees proof. SafeHouse's privacy is protected.

What SF SafeHouse needs from donors right now

Program	Items Needed	Why
Transitional House	Hygiene kits, feminine products, clothing (all sizes)	Women arrive with nothing
Hope Center	Travel toiletries, socks, underwear, scarves	Drop-in women need immediate basics
Housing Transition	Kitchen basics, bedding, towels	Women moving to independent housing
Emotional Recovery	Journals, pens, art supplies	Processing and reflection tools
General	New pajamas, slippers, robes	Comfort and safety in communal living

Why this matters in 2026

Human trafficking is not a distant crisis. The International Labor Organization estimates that forced sexual exploitation accounts for the largest category of modern slavery globally, and San Francisco — as a transit and destination city — is not exempt. SafeHouse is one of the only organizations in the city specifically equipped to provide what survivors need most: time, safety, and the specific goods that restore dignity.

The 2025 California Attorney General's data showed trafficking referrals in the Bay Area increasing for the third consecutive year. SafeHouse's capacity to serve depends on individual donors who give consistently — not just during awareness campaigns, but every month, with specific goods that arrive and are confirmed.

Givelink in action with SF SafeHouse

A donor in the Castro gave hygiene kits and new pajamas through Givelink to SF SafeHouse. Thirteen days later, a photo arrived: the items folded neatly on a shelf in the house's intake area, ready for new arrivals. The donor gave again the following month. She has never seen the address. She doesn't need to. She saw the shelf. Browse SF SafeHouse's wishlist on Givelink and give something a survivor will receive this week.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does SF SafeHouse need from donors?

Their most consistent needs are hygiene kits, feminine products, clothing in all sizes, bedding, and comfort items (pajamas, slippers) for women in both the Transitional House and the Hope Center.

How do I donate to SF SafeHouse without exposing their location?

Through Givelink, delivery is coordinated directly with SafeHouse staff. Donors receive photo confirmation of received goods in non-identifying spaces. No residential address is ever disclosed.

Is SF SafeHouse a legitimate nonprofit?

Yes. SF SafeHouse is a verified 501(c)(3) organization operating since 1998, the only long-term transitional housing program in San Francisco for trafficking survivors. Their Givelink profile includes Charity Navigator evaluation data.

What is SafeHouse's track record?

Since 1998, SafeHouse has provided housing and services to over 1,000 women across 190,000 nights of safety, with 100% of program graduates finding housing upon exit (SFSH data, 2025).

Give a survivor something she can hold

Browse SF SafeHouse's wishlist on Givelink, pick something specific, and receive the photo when it arrives.

Stay Human.

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Panos Kokmotos is Co-Founder and COO of Givelink. He works to ensure that every survivor-serving organization has the transparent giving infrastructure they deserve.