28 Jan Exciting News! NoVo Foundation Grant
EMPOWER HER NETWORK RECEIVES $450,000 GRANT TO ADVANCE SYSTEMS-BASED SOLUTIONS TO COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION
New Funding will Provide Graduated Services for Survivors Nationally, Breaking Down Sexual Exploitation and Poverty Cycles in Marginalized Communities
January 28, 2020 —Empower Her Network today announced a $450,000 grant over a three-year period from the NoVo Foundation in support of systems-based solutions to commercial sexual exploitation. This grant will provide sustainable empowerment to survivors by removing housing barriers, financing education, and uncovering steady-wage employment.
The funding is a part of The Life Story Grants, a $10 million, three-year investment in survivor-centered programs in the U.S. that open exit ramps to the sex trade while closing on-ramps. Empower Her Network is among 15 projects awarded funding to address the systemic failures that allow the sex trade to thrive and harm the most marginalized communities, including girls and women of color, as well as trans, LGBTQ, immigrant, and Indigenous girls and women.
After receiving more than 400 letters of inquiry and consulting with a panel of survivor leaders, Empower Her Network was selected based on its targeted approach and commitment to survivor engagement. The organization addresses an issue identified by immediate aftercare providers: Most survivors exhaust aftercare services without a realistic path to independence. These survivors present at extreme risk for re-trafficking, homelessness, and exploitation. Empower Her Network walks alongside survivors for up to 18-months, tackling societal barriers to create an accessible transition to independent living.
Executive Director and co-founder Kristy Norbert said, “Empower Her Network is honored to partner with The Life Story Grants to expand our work addressing the gap in services that exists for survivors who are ready to collaborate on a self-determined path to fiscal independence.”
Currently in 9 locations, Empower Her Network recognizes the need exists in every state and has built a tech savvy, scalable model ready for continued expansion as funding is secured. “With this grant underwriting operating expenses and then some, every additional dollar raised goes directly to the program,” Co-founder and Board Chair Abby Fabiaschi explained. “It’s a point we hope attracts more donors to the table. At the heart of every decision the network makes is the question, ‘How can we assist more survivors, sooner?’”
“Trafficking is a layered problem that requires layered solutions,” Norbert said. “Without immediate aftercare services provided by partner organizations, survivors wouldn’t be ready for graduated services. Both exit ramp components need to be present to break the systemic roots trapping people in the life. We are excited to work with The Life Story community in its entirety so that we can all make an impact in the movement together.”
The network is beyond jazzed to share this exciting news!
More information about the work underway can be found on www.empowerhernetwork.org as well as on https://thelifestory.org/.
MEDIA CONTACT : Kristy Norbert
Executive Director
knorbert@empowerhernetwork.org
410.456.9905