Shannon Bates remembers the absence as much as the anger.
The recently appointed executive director of Savannah’s SAFE Shelter was just 4-years-old when she realized her mother was being abused. In that moment and many ensuing ones, Bates felt powerless.
“It’s the worst feeling to see your mom in distress and not be able to help, because you’re just a kid,” she said.
Today, that feeling and those memories guide Bates’ work for the domestic violence services center, but for decades, they kept her away from it.
After graduating from Minot State University with a degree in general studies, the Savannah transplant put her servant heart to work at a series of nonprofits far from the domestic-violence space, including Union Mission, Lowcountry Legal Volunteers and the American Cancer Society.
“I think I was just too young at the time to work at SAFE Shelter, given my history,” she said. “It has taken almost my whole career to emotionally and professionally prepare for this.”
Ultimately, it was the COVID-19 pandemic, an empty nest and serendipity that brought Bates to work at SAFE. Her events-management position with the American Cancer Society had evaporated; her two children had left for college, and she was looking for a new opportunity. She had three places in mind; SAFE Shelter was one of them. As soon as she finished that top-three list, she saw an ad for the executive director position at SAFE.
Still, she wavered. The shelter’s board said the role — overseeing a nearly 30-person team, 48-bed shelter, six transient apartments, an outreach office, fund-raising and wrap-around services — would be “a mountain to climb.” But Bates was ready to rise.
“I felt a tapping on my shoulder telling me this is the mountain I am supposed to climb,” she said.
And climb it she has. Since joining the team in February, Bates has been shifting the internal culture; “untangling, rebuilding and taking the [organization] apart to build a smarter, more forward-thinking” one; strengthening relationships with community partners; and planning for the future.
It’s work she loves, though it’s not without its challenges. Already the state’s second largest domestic-violence shelter, SAFE (which stands for Savannah Area Family Emergency) routinely has more victims than beds. In 2022 alone, the shelter and associated programs served nearly 1,900 people, including close to 500 children.
“I wish we were empty,” Bates said. “But the community has a greater need. We get people from every ZIP code in Savannah. It’s not an isolated culture.”
Through it all, one edict has guided her: “What’s in the best interests of our clients? What do they need us to do?” In her heart, she knows. The decisions she makes every day are fueled by her childhood experiences and providing the help now that she was powerless to give then.
“I want them to know that they’re not alone, that there is hope,” she said. “It’s dark and scary, but there are people who understand and have answers [victims] may not be able to see.”
As the organization prepares to step into the spotlight for Domestic Violence Awareness month in October, Bates shared her belief in the power of one person to make a difference in the lives of many.
“I tell my team, if you don’t think one person can make a difference, let’s think about Norma Brewin,” she said, referring to the former elementary-school teacher who established SAFE after seeing the movie, Battered. “Because one woman saw a movie, she went door to door asking for donations. Because one woman saw a movie, she recruited three of her friends. Because one woman saw a movie, we helped 1,900 people last year. Doing this work is hard, but it’s worth doing.”
SAFE Shelter for Domestic Violence Services will hold a vigil to honor those who lost their lives to domestic violence in 2022 on Oct. 5 at 6 p.m. in Forsyth Park.
This article appears in Connect Savannah | October, 2023.