02 Jul Exciting News! Foster Family Foundation Grant
Empower Her Network Receives $100,000 Grant to Support Human Trafficking Survivors in Empowerment Plans
July 1, 2020 — Empower Her Network is grateful to announce a $100,000 grant from the Foster Family Foundation for supporting empowerment plans for human trafficking survivors. This funding will break down multigenerational poverty and exploitation cycles by removing housing barriers, financing education, and uncovering steady-wage employment.
“Since March, and for many uncertain months in the future, we have been living through unprecedented times as schools, businesses, churches, and organizations across the country have been closing to flatten the curve of COVID-19. Members in our program are desperately trying to work their way out of poverty and are not in a position to stockpile groceries, cover unexpected childcare while children are out of school, or meet financial obligations facing reduced hours or unemployment,” said Executive Director and co-founder Kristy Norbert. “This grant provides stability and opportunity during a critical time.”
Empower Her Network currently has 89 active members and 25 alumni. To date, all alumni have secured permanent housing and increased annual wages by an average of $9,607 in only 12 to 18 months.
The organization has a strong sustainability model. “We will never be another unmet promise to the survivors we collaborate with,” explained Norbert. “We secure funding for the full value of the Empowerment Plan before committing services, along with a reserve that ensures our ability to execute against programs from an operating perspective. This practice is why we can stay solvent and walk with members during this alarming and unprecedented time.”
This grant enables Empower Her Network to open its doors to ready survivors on the wait list. Camille Davenport, President of the Foster Family Foundation, was a founding supporter for the launch of services in California. “The Foster Family Foundation is excited to continue our partnership with Empower Her Network,” said Davenport. “We are astounded by the accomplishments of the survivor community once societal barriers, that shouldn’t have been there in the first place, are broken down. This innovative program is a hand-up, not a hand-out.”
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About Empower Her Network: Modern slavery is a human rights emergency, affecting 21 million people worldwide. Rescuing people from slavery without a post-rescue plan leaves survivors vulnerable to re-trafficking and further exploitation, which is why Empower Her Network exists – to provide those with a will to independence a path forward. For more information, go to www.empowerhernetwork.org or contact Kristy Norbert: knorbert@empowerhernetwork.org