Easton Hospital Reaches Out to Safe Harbor

Rodney Lassiter came to Safe Harbor after living in a tent in Bethlehem.

Travis Liszewski lost his house following a DUI arrest, and wound up living at Easton shelter following his release from jail.

"Safe Harbor took me in. Pretty much saved my life, actually," he said.

When they told their stories last week at Easton Hospital, they weren't bitter, or offering cautionary tales. They were grateful, both to Safe Harbor and to the community that supports it.

So grateful, in fact, that they brought baked goods.

Lassiter, Liszewski and Safe Harbor case manager Jennifer Collins were at the hospital to mark the end of a collection drive launched by student volunteer Lauren Biege.

Biege, who's about to start her junior year at Bethlehem Catholic, said it was simple: she went around the hospital and asked people to donate.

She said it became a lesson for her: "It made me appreciate how grateful and privileged I am...all the things I have.”

In a box behind her were some of the results of her work: toiletries, food, coffee cups and coffee.

“Everybody was delighted to participate,” said Fern Doughtery, the hospital's director of orthopedics. “Lauren dropped the box off, I was off for two days and when I got back it was filled.”  

Collins said the shelter's needs are vast and varied.
 
“The thing we need most of course are backpacks," she said. "With all this rain lately, we’ve noticed we need umbrellas. The coffee creamers and sugars are huge for us.”

Two years ago, Safe Harbor was in danger of closing. But it's hung on, Collins said, in part because of projects like the one at the hospital.

“You don’t realize how much the community steps in," she said. “People keep giving and it’s great. It’s what keeps us alive.”