Safe Berks
Safe Berks is a Reading, Pennsylvania-based nonprofit founded in 1976 that provides free, confidential, bilingual 24/7 support services, including emergency shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, and community outreach, to victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Berks County.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1976
- HeadquartersReading, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Safe Berks does
Safe Berks is a Pennsylvania-licensed nonprofit organization headquartered at 255 Chestnut Street in Reading, PA, that provides free, confidential support services to victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Berks County. Founded in 1976 as Berks Women in Crisis and rebranded to Safe Berks in December 2016, the organization operates a 24/7 bilingual hotline (844-789-SAFE plus SMS to 20121), an undisclosed-location Safe House emergency shelter, individual and group counseling, legal advocacy and representation, a Medical Advocacy Partnership Program (MAPP) delivered through hospital partnerships, a Community Outreach & Response (COR) program, and a dedicated Education & Outreach department. Supporting programs include Camp Safe Berks and Camp Safe Berks Jr. for affected youth, the Silent Witness Project, the annual Walk For NO MORE, and the Celebration of Peace gala. All services are provided at no cost to survivors and are available in English and Spanish.
The organization reports no proprietary technology platform; service delivery is built on trained human advocates operating through phone, text, in-person, and community channels rather than on software systems. Its business model is a nonprofit funding stack combining individual donations (including annual appeals and planned giving), corporate sponsorships (anchored by Boscov's Department Store via the Boscov family-hosted Celebration of Peace), federal and state grants (including a $375,000 domestic violence grant in December 2021 and funding routed through affiliations with PCAR and PCADV), and event-based fundraising (Walk For NO MORE, Celebration of Peace). Operational scope is limited to Berks County, with documented reach of 2,300 adults and 2,280 children (4,580 survivors) served through the Safe House over the past decade, totaling 156,793 nights of care. Leadership comprises CEO Beth Garrigan, COO Mereliss Colon Ortiz, Interim Director of Development Erica Caceres, and Community Relations and Resource Manager Dacey Horohoe.
Safe Berks firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Safe Berks
- Legal name
- Safe Berks
- Website
- https://safeberks.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1976
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Safe Berks is a Reading, Pennsylvania-based nonprofit founded in 1976 that provides free, confidential, bilingual 24/7 support services, including emergency shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, and community outreach, to victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Berks County.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Safe Berks industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Support Services
- NAICS
- Temporary Shelters (624221), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Child and Youth Services (624110), Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)
Keywords
Where Safe Berks is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Reading
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Safe Berks business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations, annual appeals, planned giving programs, and event-based fundraising including Celebration of Peace gala and Walk For NO MORE.
- Grants: Federal and state grants for domestic violence and sexual assault services, including a $375,000 DV grant mentioned in December 2021.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Annual sponsorships and corporate partnerships with local businesses for fundraising events.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | All services are free of charge |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Safe Berks product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Safe Berks provides free, confidential support services to victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Core offerings include a 24/7 English and Spanish hotline, emergency Safe House shelter, individual and group counseling, legal advocacy and representation, medical advocacy through hospital partnerships, community outreach, and prevention education programs. Supporting programs include Camp Safe Berks youth camps, the Silent Witness Project memorial, and annual events such as Walk For NO MORE and Celebration of Peace.
Product overview
Safe Berks operates as a unified social services organization offering a coordinated portfolio of free, confidential support services for victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. The core services include a 24/7 Hotline available in English and Spanish, emergency Housing/Shelter, individual and group Counseling, Legal Services (including advocacy and some representation), the Medical Advocacy Partnership Program (MAPP), Community Outreach & Response (COR), and Education & Outreach programs. Supporting programs include Camp Safe Berks (summer camps for affected youth), the Silent Witness Project (annual memorial for DV homicide victims), the Celebration of Peace (annual fundraising event), and the Walk For NO MORE (community awareness walk). All services are provided free of charge and are strictly confidential.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- 24/7 Hotline
Quantifiable outcome
- Over the past decade, 2,300 adults and 2,280 children (4,580 total survivors) spent 156,793 nights in Safe House care.
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Safe Berks
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Safe Berks technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Safe Berks partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Jim & Judy BoscovcoreJim and Judy Boscov host the annual Celebration of Peace gala. Boscov's Department Store is a key corporate sponsor and supporter.
- Reading Area Community College (RACC)minorAwarded Voices for Change award at Walk For NO MORE on June 21, 2025.
- Baja Beach WellnessminorAwarded Voices for Change award at Walk For NO MORE on June 21, 2025.
- Lonnie Walker IV FoundationminorPartnership for joint raffle fundraiser to support Safe Berks services and community outreach.
- LGBT Center of Greater ReadingminorSafe Berks partners with the LGBT Center to address assault and violence in underserved communities and expand reach to LGBTQ+ survivors.
- Friend, Inc. Community ServicesminorSafe Berks opened an extension office at Friend, Inc. in August 2021 to expand services to more survivors in the community.
- PCAR (Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape)corePCAR is a statewide nonprofit working to end sexual violence through advocacy, education, and prevention. Safe Berks is affiliated with PCAR as a member organization.
- PCADV (Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence)corePCADV is a statewide coalition working to eliminate domestic violence in Pennsylvania. Safe Berks is affiliated with PCADV as a member organization.
- BCTVcoreBCTV (Berks County Television) partners with Safe Berks for regular media segments covering services, events, and educational content about domestic violence and sexual assault awareness.
- Boscov's Department StorecoreLocal department store that supports Safe Berks through sponsorship of events and purchases of needed items like bedding.
- Blankets of HopeminorLocal nonprofit that partners with Safe Berks to provide mattresses and bedding for the Safe House shelter.
- Berks CountycoreBerks County government and agencies partner with Safe Berks for victim services, law enforcement coordination, and community programs.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Safe Berks competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): Largest national anti-sexual-violence organization operating the National Sexual Assault Hotline. Overlaps with Safe Berks' sexual assault services but at national scale, and operates many of the local center affiliations.
- Safe Horizon: Large New York City-based victim services nonprofit offering shelter, hotline, counseling, and legal advocacy for DV, sexual assault, and other victims. Comparable in integrated service portfolio and free-of-charge model, but at significantly larger urban scale.
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: National 24/7 hotline and resource provider for DV survivors. Operates as a broad incumbent whose 24/7 hotline offering directly parallels Safe Berks' hotline service, but at national scale.
- PCADV (Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence): Statewide coalition that Safe Berks is affiliated with. Operates as a broad incumbent providing training, policy, and umbrella support to member programs like Safe Berks; not a direct local service provider but the most relevant governing/coordination body in PA.
- PCAR (Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape): Statewide coalition addressing sexual violence via advocacy, education, and prevention. Safe Berks is a member organization; PCAR is a broader incumbent in the same victim-services space with statewide scope.
Direct peers
- YWCA Lancaster: Pennsylvania YWCA affiliate operating a DV/SA program with shelter, hotline, counseling, and advocacy. Comparable in mission, free-service model, and reliance on donations and grants, with similar community education focus.
- A Woman's Place: Pennsylvania-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, and 24/7 hotline services to DV/SA survivors in Bucks County. Directly comparable mission, service mix (shelter + counseling + legal + hotline), and free-of-charge delivery model.
- Turning Point of the Lehigh Valley: Regional Pennsylvania DV/SA service nonprofit offering shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, medical advocacy, and community education in the Lehigh Valley. Closely aligned to Safe Berks in service portfolio, regional scope, and bilingual access.
- House of Ruth Maryland: Regional DV/SA service nonprofit providing shelter, counseling, legal services, hotline, and community education in Maryland. Closely comparable in mission, service mix, and community-based nonprofit structure to Safe Berks.
Regional players
- Friends, Inc. Community Services: Local Berks County community services organization where Safe Berks opened an extension office in August 2021. Adjacent regional social services provider; comparable in geography and community-based delivery, though broader in scope than DV/SA.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Safe Berks social profiles
Digital presenceSafe Berks financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Safe Berks leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Safe Berks funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Safe Berks M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Safe Berks
What does Safe Berks do?
Safe Berks provides free, confidential support services to victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Core offerings include a 24/7 English and Spanish hotline, emergency Safe House shelter, individual and group counseling, legal advocacy and representation, medical advocacy through hospital partnerships, community outreach, and prevention education programs. Supporting programs include Camp Safe Berks youth camps, the Silent Witness Project memorial, and annual events such as Walk For NO MORE and Celebration of Peace.
Is Safe Berks a public or private company?
Safe Berks is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Safe Berks founded?
Safe Berks was founded in 1976. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Safe Berks based?
Safe Berks is headquartered in Reading, United States, in the North America region.
How does Safe Berks make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are grants and corporate Sponsorships.
Who are Safe Berks's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), Safe Horizon, National Domestic Violence Hotline, PCADV (Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence) and PCAR (Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape). Direct peers are YWCA Lancaster, A Woman's Place, Turning Point of the Lehigh Valley and House of Ruth Maryland. Friends, Inc. Community Services is listed as a regional player.
Does Safe Berks have an API?
No public API is recorded for Safe Berks.
What industry is Safe Berks in?
Safe Berks's product category is Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAM, Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits, with a secondary code of BPAGADAO, Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 624221 and its SIC code is 8300.