Freedom a la Cart evolves to better serve human trafficking survivors

 
Freedom a la Cart has transitioned from providing jobs to the survivors of human trafficking to a workforce training model.
“We’re designing a program now that’s 24 months, so when a survivor comes in to our program, she knows upfront that this isn’t a forever job,” says Paula Haines, executive director.
Then, the nonprofit can reach more women. Last year, it served 210 survivors.
Haines says, annually, there are about 1,500 arrests for solicitation in just Franklin County. Some of those are women who are arrested multiple times. But even if it’s just half, that’s a lot of people.
“I feel like there’s still work to be done, that we’re not reaching everyone yet,” she says.

One-on-one assistance

Freedom helped 33 women through its workforce development program in 2017; 14 of those transitioned into community employment. The nonprofit’s catering/box lunch program can be compared to your first job as a teenager, Haines says.
“A lot of people have those first jobs in the food industry, but it doesn’t mean that we stay there, right? It’s just a nice stepping stone. It’s where you can learn so many different skills and build a foundation,” she says.
The organization also teaches the women how to manage a budget, save money, etc.
Freedom has evolved into more one-on-one case management because every woman’s needs are different. Many of them have experienced trauma — and with that comes traumatic brain injury and things like memory loss, Haines says. Something like computer training might need to be repetitive, day after day, until she gets it.

Staying free

Transitions are tough for people who’ve experienced trauma, Haines says. Survivors graduate from CATCH Court, a program for rearrested prostitutes that blends punitive sentences with treatment, or leave Amethyst, a rehabilitation center. They’re so excited, but a month later, they’ve relapsed.
Freedom’s butterflies program is a way for those who’ve transitioned to stay in touch, Haines says. There’s a monthly social gathering and a monthly support group that works like a 12-step meeting, along with case management for those who need help navigating life issues.
“They’ve found that they can talk about things that they are feeling and experiencing that only other survivors can know and understand,” she says.

With more than 60 women in the program already, Freedom plans to grow that, to make sure the survivors who have become self-sufficient remain that way.