Yesterday, we concluded our International Women’s Day (IWD) campaign. We’re thrilled to share that you gave $30,000 to unlock a $30,000 empowerment match, funding our Economic Empowerment program with a total of $60,000!
While we kicked off March with a celebration of women’s achievements and a festive Storytelling Night, we ended it in an unprecedented moment that may have devastating effects for months to come.
We spent the last two weeks of the month responding to the changing needs of the survivors we serve, focusing on stabilization in response to many women losing their jobs. We set up a Relief & Stabilization Fund to provide immediate cash assistance, and our essential services transitioned to be virtual. Our Safehome remains open, and we continue responding to referrals for victims in trafficking situations.
We’ve doubled down on our efforts to care for survivors because we know that in times of disease and destabilization, vulnerable populations tend to experience devastating impact. So we end our IWD campaign and Women’s History Month with thanksgiving and step into April with another call to action.
Approximately 80% of the survivors that we serve have lost their jobs and will remain at risk to be trafficked again for potentially months to come.
As the longer-term impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic becomes more clear for our organization and we plan for the impact on our finances and our team, we are still prioritizing survivors. We will continue raising funds for immediate cash assistance. 100% of your gift to this fund will go directly to a survivor at risk due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is certainly a first for us to end a campaign with another invitation to give, but unprecedented times call for unprecedented generosity. With a grateful heart, we invite each of you to walk alongside survivors when they need us the most.
P.S. – During these uncertain times, we especially encourage you to view these video highlights from our IWD Storytelling Night. These amazing storytellers will inspire you!