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Neli Says

  • Neli’s Blog

    The world celebrated what would have been Nelson Mandela ‘s 100th birthday this week, so I was thinking; my husband, Brian Rowland, and I can give some credit to his inspiring speeches about apartheid to actually helping open our eyes to the fact that our own government systems, too, were broken and trapping too many people in social, mental and economic crisis in our own respective oppressive systems. We privately thought to ourselves is it not called ‘grand standing’ when we act…

    AnnouncementsNeli Vazquez-RowlandSeptember 11, 2018
  • Father’s Day

    WOW! Folks, we have been off to the races the last 40 days, helping make history with some of the most significant announcements in the history of healthcare and behavioral healthcare in the State of Illinois and possibly the country!

    To sum it up, we have seen more positive changes happen in the last 40 days, toward achieving our goals of trying to influence a paradigm shift in the field of behavioral health in the State of Illinois, than we have seen…

    Neli SaysNeli Vazquez-RowlandJune 14, 2018
  • HB 5868 Just Passed Senate

    No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking.”  French Philosopher, Voltaire

    At A Safe Haven we are still basking in the glow and beaming with American pride of having hosted another successful Military Veteran Stand Down to honor 2018-Armed Services Day in America! A Military Stand Down is an event that gathers top health, education, employment and housing providers specializing in serving military Veterans under one roof for a day of introducing Veterans to all of the services they may need.  As…

    AnnouncementsNeli Vazquez-RowlandJune 5, 2018
  • Happy Mother’s Day!

    My Dear Friends,

    Happy Mother’s Day! 

    They say the closest thing to describe Gods love for us, is a Mothers love for her child. If this is True then, His love must be truly Great because I cannot imagine a greater love than a Mothers love for her own children. I think that almost all Moms will also agree that the greatest gift for every mother is the peace of mind of knowing her children are healthy and happy!

    My heart goes out to any…

    Neli SaysNeli Vazquez-RowlandMay 23, 2018
  • Diseases and Garnering Support

    Dear Friends,

    “You must be the change you want to see in the world.” -Mahatma Ghandi

    I am saddened to say that last week our family suffered the loss of my beloved mother in law as she succumbed to a two-year battle with the horrible and incurable, debilitating disease of ALS; ‘Lou Gehrig’s disease’.  My own father died from Cancer over 30 years ago when I was very young and I lost a brother to Diabetes several years ago.  While they died from terrible…

    Neli SaysNeli Vazquez-RowlandMay 22, 2018

A Safe Haven

  • A Safe Haven
    Reflecting on Leadership, What D...

    What defines leadership? For many, a leader is defined as a person who possesses lots of charisma, a certain gravitas, the ability to...

    Neli Vazquez-RowlandSeptember 18, 2018
  • A Safe Haven
    All Kids Deserve Enrichment and ...

    Summer break means something different to you depending on where you grew up. To some youth, summer means travelling abroad with their families...

    Neli Vazquez-RowlandSeptember 11, 2018
  • A Safe Haven
    Each Drop of Support Matters

    The success stories of men, women, youth and children completing their recovery programs at A Safe Haven Foundation inspire us and give us...

    Neli Vazquez-RowlandSeptember 11, 2018
  • A Safe Haven
    Breaking the chains of Poverty, ...

    We Measure Our Social Impact: By the Number of People that Become Clean, Sober, Housed, & Employed    “A chain is only as...

    Neli Vazquez-RowlandSeptember 11, 2018
  • A Safe Haven
    Mothers Incarcerated

    There is nothing more heart-wrenching than to see a mother and/or father being separated from their children. No matter the reason, legal or...

    Neli Vazquez-RowlandJuly 3, 2018
  • A Safe Haven
    House Bill 5868- Behavioral Heal...

    I am absolutely excited and full of hope as we are in the process of finally turning a corner on the Opioid Epidemic...

    Neli Vazquez-RowlandMay 1, 2018
  • Brrrrrr Blog Neli

    Brrrrrr! No matter how many layers I wear, I find that it is still hard to escape the cold chill of a Chicago winter on these snowy days, while I do my best to avoid catching the flu. Well folks, I really tried staying warm and loading up on vitamin C, yet it got me this year; but no worries, after a few days of rest and relaxation, thankfully, I’m finally on the mend. We are fortunate that our exposure to the elements is…

    Neli Says Neli Vazquez-RowlandFebruary 20, 2018
  • Data Driven Decisions

    Dear Friends, When your mission is to help those in crisis you don’t have the luxury of wasting precious limited resources and time on services that aren’t proven to work. Similarly, it would be brazenly foolish to operate on ‘good intentions’ without contemplating existing pragmatic approaches and data that show consistent positive outcomes for your charitable investment and efforts, especially when real lives are hanging on the balance. Our clients depend on us to help them make good solid decisions based on experience, facts…

    Neli Says Neli Vazquez-RowlandFebruary 1, 2018
  • The High Cost of Poverty & ...

    I know that nothing unites us, as Americans, more than the desire to protect our children and our home. However, we all know that we have some serious, urgent problems that we need to deal with to honor our future generations. Every day, we hear from every media outlet about all of the problems Chicago and our country as a whole are facing with urban homelessness, crime, and violence. And we hear the same publications begging the the public for…

    Neli Says Neli Vazquez-RowlandNovember 22, 2017
  • Opioid Addiction and Treatment

    We are at a crucial moment as the opioid epidemic continues to take lives and severely impair the quality of life of so many of us. Though this is not a new issue, it is in the national spotlight right now and any action we take has the greatest chance of impacting real change right now. One in three families are now affected by the opioid epidemic, and whether it has affected us or our loved ones personally or…

    Announcements Neli Vazquez-RowlandNovember 21, 2017
  • Mental Health Leads to Better Co...

    Today, life seems to be more stressful than ever before, and there is deep sickness within our society in the forms of hate, discrimination, fear. As people are suffering from anxiety, depression, mood disorders, PTSD, and addiction at increased rates, we know that we need serious change. At A Safe Haven, our clients all receive behavior healthcare, as almost all of them are suffering from at least one of these mental health challenges, unsurprisingly. The good news is that…

    Neli Says Neli Vazquez-RowlandNovember 20, 2017
  • Announcing the A Safe Haven 2017...

    It is with great pleasure that my husband, United States Army Military Veteran Brian Rowland, and I, announce A Safe Haven’s 2017 Heroes and Hope Gala.  The event will take place on November 4, 2017, at the beautiful Cinespace Chicago Film Studio Ballroom, and will be an inspirational and elegant fundraiser to celebrate A Safe Haven’s 23 years of impact in Chicago. This year’s theme “Heroes and Hope” honors community spirit and partnerships that enables A Safe Haven an…

    A Safe Haven Neli Vazquez-RowlandAugust 27, 2017
  • We are Basking in the Glow of An...

    WOW! Folks, the pictures cannot begin to capture the vibe for what for me was one of the most exhilarating experiences ever! The energy that happens when you gather so many people from all walks of life with the biggest hearts in the world at one of the most spectacular venues on the planet was truly inspiring. This year Chicago’s lakefront was the most beautiful perfect backdrop for what I believe is one of the most important causes in the world, that is to come together…

    A Safe Haven Neli Vazquez-RowlandJuly 15, 2017
  • Announcing the 2017 Official Hon...

    Great News!! There is no debate on whether we should end poverty and homelessness, and we are excited to say that it is time to take action. Together we are going to vote with our feet, and help the poverty-stricken and homeless in our State get back on track! We are joining forces with our elected officials and our communities across the State to make homelessness history, folks! By walking, running, recruiting, fundraising and showing up to stand in solidarity, our…

    Neli Says Neli Vazquez-RowlandJune 25, 2017
  • Celebrating Father’s Day

    According to the National Retail Federation, Americans spent over $14 billion on Father’s Day Gifts in 2016, how incredible would it be if even 10% or $140 Million of that money was donated to programs that ensure children have a father to celebrate with this Father’s Day? In our experience, we know that with those types of resources we would literally solve the issue of Fatherless children for tens of thousands…

    Neli Says Neli Vazquez-RowlandJune 16, 2017
  • Celebrating Mother’s Day

    As we prepare to celebrate another Happy Mother’s Day, all mothers know that the greatest and purest love of all is the love of a mother for her child. For those of us who are fortunate to know motherhood we know that regardless of any lines people may try to draw between us, our common bond is we all love and want to provide for our children, as well as all of Gods children, a safe, and healthy place, where they can grow, thrive and…

    Neli Says Neli Vazquez-RowlandMay 7, 2017