Safer Foundation is celebrating 50 years of service in the Quad Cities.
Since 1976, the organization has worked to eliminate barriers to successful reentry for individuals with arrest and conviction records. Safer Foundation has been a trusted community partner in helping justice-involved individuals build meaningful, stable lives through employment support, education, and community connections.
Over the past half century, Safer Foundation’s Quad Cities office — with locations in Scott and Rock Island counties — has offered a holistic suite of services designed to support eligible individuals on the road to a better future. These include life skills, job readiness training, resumé building, interview preparation, employer connections, educational services, and ongoing case management for those striving to reintegrate into the community.
“Reaching this milestone is a testament to the power of belief in second chances,” said Erica Lee, associate vice president, regional operations, Quad Cities. “It also illustrates the persistent needs of the population we serve. For 50 years, Safer Foundation Quad Cities has walked beside individuals and families as they overcome systemic barriers to employment and self-sufficiency. We are grateful for our participants, partners, employers, staff, volunteers, and the entire Quad Cities community who’ve supported this mission.”
Since its founding in Chicago in 1972, Safer’s mission has remained focused on empowering individuals impacted by the criminal legal system. This enduring legacy is built on the principle that everyone deserves the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to their community, free from the limitations of their past.
To commemorate this special anniversary, in addition to its standard public participation events like its Safer Sacks on Thursday, April 23, and Trivia Night fundraisers, Safer Foundation will be hosting community engagement events and collaborative activities throughout the year.
These observations will feature the stories of local clients who have achieved success with Safer’s support, deepen partnerships with regional employers and nonprofits, and spotlight the positive impact of second-chance opportunities.
William Seelye of Rock Island is one such client success. Mr. Seelye reconnected with Safer Foundation by being a 2025 Safer Sacks fundraiser customer. He recently shared his story of Safer’s impact on his life.
“Safer Foundation helped me out. Whether I would have wound up back in prison… I don’t know. I was drinking heavy ‘cause pouring concrete’s a hard job. I was in the bar every day… I could have ended up back in jail, but Safer got me a job at Deere,” he said.
Mr. Seelye’s story success is one of tens of thousands of Quad Cities second chance stories since 1976, written and created with the help of Safer Foundation since 1976. Safer’s current programs include its Youth Empowerment Program (YEP), Pathway Home and Employment Services.
Employment Services, based in Rock Island, is Safer’s foundational program in the Quad Cities, and is the program that helped Seelye 50 years ago.
“Safer’s Quad Cities operation; its team and the hundreds thousands of individuals served and families touched; has been essential to our regional success,” said Victor Dickson, Safer Foundation president and CEO. “The halo effect realized in a community by helping even one individual begin on a new path toward a productive and fulfilling life, is impossible to measure. A second chance helps people achieve things thought to be out of their reach.”
As Safer Foundation celebrates 50 years of service in the Quad Cities, community members, employers, and partners are invited to take part in the mission of expanding second chances.
Whether by attending anniversary activities, supporting fundraising efforts, offering employment opportunities, or volunteering time and expertise, the community plays a vital role in helping individuals rebuild their lives and strengthen the region. Together, these partnerships ensure that the next 50 years will bring even greater opportunity and impact.
