Officially in our NEW Office

Survivors of sex trafficking who’ve been freed from captivity often need privacy to work through the trauma they’ve experienced. Reclaiming Hope wants to give them that privacy, but the ministry didn’t have the space for it … until now.

In our former space, all we had was one office with a door to close, and two desks in the warehouse space, the space where our precious volunteers pack the Hope Bags we assemble for trafficking victims. There was no room for confidential phone calls or conversations. And yet at the core of our ministry is relationship – including face to face meetings with survivors, which could not happen in our own office.

What’s more, the lease on that space was running out. It felt a little like being at the edge of the Red Sea. We needed to cross it, and quick, but we were not certain how. That’s when God moved. And He moved us.

God led us, through a network of connections to a space big enough that all staff could be in offices with doors that make possible the confidential phone calls and discussions. And there’s room for training, networking and collaboration with like-minded ministries.

Volunteers helped with the move, a task so complicated that we could have not done it without them. And volunteers are helping to make the new space warm and welcoming through their donation of couches, rugs, chairs and more.

This newsletter is arriving late, and now you know why. Given all that’s happened, how God orchestrated everything, we’re right on time.

We’re eager to show you what God has provided. We’ll wait till after our September fund-raisers to host an Open House. Please join us Sunday, October 29, 1-4 p.m.

In the midst of it all, we’ve added a new member to our team. Mandie Hoehne, our part-time Director of Survivor Care, makes contact with as many 20 survivors a week. It’s proven to be too great a load, so we’ve hired a case manager, Samantha Caputo. She has experience working with foster kids – those who are the most vulnerable to trafficking.  

Samantha worked for 10 years searching for better ways to help teens stay out of the courts and find their way back to health. She married, bore three children, lived overseas for 10 years, and slowly stepped into a role at her church that allowed her to help those in the foster care community and others in need. This is where she met Mandie, and Reclaiming Hope, and the amazing work God is doing through us. 

Please welcome her to our ministry family.

We do hope you can join us on September 10 (5-8 pm) for our annual Walking in Hope Fundraising Dinner! We’ll be hearing directly from a survivor, as well as premiering a new video of 2 of our women telling their stories. If you can join us, please let us know as soon as possible. And please come ready to take part in a silent auction – we already have over 40 items for you to bid on! (No dessert auction this year.) Our goal is to raise funds for the general ministry, and to refill our Housing Program fund, so that we can continue to offer safe housing to some of the women we walk with!

Blessings,

— Sues Hess, Exec. Dir. and the Reclaiming Hope Team