Safety
Every child is welcomed into a calm, secure place where they are protected and watched over with care.
About Safe Harbor
Building a harbor for children in the bayou region
Safe Harbor Children's Shelter is a founding phase nonprofit preparing to open the first sibling inclusive, trauma informed emergency shelter serving Gray, Houma, and Terrebonne Parish.
Who We Are
Legally established, preparing to open
Safe Harbor Children's Shelter is building South Louisiana's first sibling inclusive, trauma informed emergency shelter so children in crisis stay safe, stay together, and begin to heal.
Safe Harbor is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit incorporated in Louisiana. We are in our founding phase, which means our organization, board, and plans are in place, and we are now raising the support required to open our doors and welcome children.
For the safety and privacy of the children we will serve, we do not publish a street address. We serve the bayou region of South Louisiana, with our work centered in Gray and Houma in Terrebonne Parish.
We are a secular organization, welcoming children of every background, and we work alongside families, caseworkers, courts, schools, and health providers to give each child a steady path forward.
- Registered 501(c)(3) Nonprofit
- EIN 42-3165658
- Incorporated in Louisiana
Core Values
The commitments behind our care
These six values shape how we design our home, train our team, and welcome each child.
Family Unity
Brothers and sisters belong together, and we build our home so sibling groups are never turned away.
Compassion
We meet each child with patience and kindness, because gentleness is the beginning of healing.
Dignity
Every child arrives worthy of respect, privacy, and a place that feels like it was prepared for them.
Healing
Steady routines, warm meals, and trusted adults help children move from fear toward hope.
Community
Our bayou neighbors, churches, schools, and agencies build this harbor together.
Be part of the founding story
Every gift, hour, and partnership brings the first night of care closer.
Who we are
A place where children in crisis can breathe again
Safe Harbor Children's Shelter is a place where children in crisis can breathe again.
When a child must be removed from their home, we provide a calm, welcoming space that feels safe, steady, and supportive.
Founded by lifelong Terrebonne Parish resident and nurse Carolyn Woods, Safe Harbor was created to fill a critical need in our community. With decades of experience caring for children and families, she built Safe Harbor as a place where compassion is the standard, and every child is treated with dignity.
Support the Mission
What guides us
Our core values
Safety
Every child is welcomed into a calm, secure place where they are protected and watched over with care.
Family Unity
Brothers and sisters belong together, and we build our home so sibling groups are never turned away.
Compassion
We meet each child with patience and kindness, because gentleness is the beginning of healing.
Dignity
Every child arrives worthy of respect, privacy, and a place that feels like it was prepared for them.
Healing
Steady routines, warm meals, and trusted adults help children move from fear toward hope.
Community
Our bayou neighbors, churches, schools, and agencies build this harbor together.