Award Recognizes Providing Outstanding Services in Lake County
Lake County Haven was honored to receive the Liberty Bell Award for an organization providing outstanding services in Lake County. Awarded by the Circuit Judges of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, this honor is only presented once per year to a local organization. Lake County Haven Executive Director Laura Sabino and Board President Kate Serdar were proud to accept this award on behalf of the staff, board, volunteers, donors, and — most of all — the clients of the Haven.
Chief Judge Daniel Shanes praised Lake County Haven for its outstanding services to some of the community’s most vulnerable people: “Day after day, person after person, the Haven quietly saves lives in our community. I am thrilled that our Court can recognize the vital work of the Lake County Haven with this year’s Liberty Bell Award.”
The Haven operates two transitional shelters and a housing program in Libertyville; those sites serve people from across Lake County. Through these programs, thirty women and children receive shelter, food, and services every day. Counseling and case management are provided, as well as seven hours of groups per day providing help with recovery, mental health, and life-skills. Since the Haven is all about long-term solutions, its programs are long-term as well, with most residents staying six–eighteen months. All these programs are in high demand, with occupancy rates averaging 98% over the last five years.
Most recently, Lake County Haven raised more than $90,000 to invest in residents’ education and careers. These funds now pay for Haven residents to take classes and achieve certificates as counselors. Many who have done so are now working locally in that field and one has already gone on to graduate school.
The Haven’s programs work. Its outcomes consistently show between 70% and 88% of residents are able to move on to the next level of independent living.
ABOUT LAKE COUNTY HAVEN
Lake County Haven’s mission is to empower homeless women and their children to achieve permanent, independent living. The Haven fulfills its mission by providing shelter, housing, and a variety of other supportive services. Through these interventions, the agency strives to identify and overcome the root causes of homelessness and break the intergenerational cycle of violence, addiction, and poverty. For more information or to make a donation, contact Laura Sabino, Executive Director, 847-680-1841, director@lakecountyhaven.org, or visit lakecountyhaven.org.