Why We Exist
Established in Philadelphia in 2004, Project SAFE’s mission is to promote principled harm reduction in the street economies of Kensington. Sex workers and people who use drugs around the world are stigmatized and criminalized, our community members deserve to live with dignity and respect for their autonomy. We support them by providing material supplies, health education, and advocacy, ultimately seeking to empower marginalized individuals and reduce the client/provider hierarchy that is present at other social service agencies in the city.
Our Community
We work primarily with are women, non-binary, gender non-conforming, and trans people involved in street-based economies. The majority of our volunteers are current or former sex workers and/or current or former drug users.
Our Funding
Project SAFE is supported by generous community donations. We also receive funding from organizations like
the Scattergood Foundation, Bread and Roses Community Foundation, Vital Strategies, AIDS United, Gender Justice Fund, and Philly AIDS Thrift. Our fiscal sponsor is Hack Club.
Our Budget
70% goes to purchasing harm reduction supplies that prevent the spread of infection and disease.
22% provides stipends for community engagement workers who distribute supplies to people facing accessibility barriers like lack of transportation, chronic illness, and childcare needs. These collective members also provide peer education and gather community feedback that informs our decision making and programming.
8% goes to minor overhead, such as maintaining our website.
