Welcome to My Friends in Philanthropy, the podcast dedicated to the people and organizations driving meaningful change.

In this episode, Patti Parker sits down with longtime community innovator Neli Rowland, a leader with a 30-year track record of transforming how we address homelessness, addiction, and poverty. Neli shares how she and her husband built one of the nation’s earliest vertically integrated ecosystems—combining supportive housing, social services, and social enterprises—to help individuals rebuild their lives with dignity, purpose, and long-term stability.

They discuss the limitations of traditional shelter models, the power of transitional employment, the importance of addressing root causes rather than symptoms, and why real estate and economic development are essential tools for breaking cycles of crisis. Neli opens up about proof-of-concept results, lessons learned across thousands of cases, and her forthcoming book designed to help cities nationwide replicate sustainable, compassionate systems of care.

This conversation is a must-listen for anyone who believes that people deserve more than a meal and a bed—they deserve opportunity, community, and a path back to independence.

Neli Vazquez- Rowland is the Co-Founder & President of A Safe Haven Foundation (ASHF). Founded in 1994, ASHF is a vertically integrated eco- system that supports social service delivery along with vibrant social business enterprises in order to create a sustainable environment that fosters positive change in the lives of homeless individuals.

Learn more about Neli and her incredible organization at: https://www.asafehaven.org/