Havens Vineyard was the vision and mission of Mrs. Marylin  Cotton. In early 1999, Marylin was working as an admissions and social worker assistant for Buckeye Mental Health (BMH). Prior to her time there, Marylin had an extensive history as a nurse and facility manager within  BMH and other area nursing facilities.

Having witnessed how institutionalization of clients marginalizes the quality of the clients’ lives caused her to reflect, “What can I do to further improve the lives of severely mentally ill people?”

In October 1999, Havens Vineyard was made possible when Marylin was approached by what she calls a “financial angel” - thereby providing  the agency with the opportunity to realize the fulfillment of her dream. Havens Vineyard received their first client on December 28, 1999 after being contacted by the social worker at Saint Vincent DePaul asking Havens Vineyard if they could house a homeless mentally ill person. Today, that young man is in an apartment of his own and functioning independently. When he sees various staff members from Havens Vineyard around the city from time to time, he thanks them for “giving him a chance to get on his feet again”.

Since its inception, Havens Vineyard has acquired several houses that serve as home for multiple severely mentally ill residents, operating seven days a week and 24 hours a day.