FGCU, Volunteer Mtg, Furniture & Car Needed, OutREACH, Bible Study & More!

HUMAN TRAFFICKING 101 & HEARING FROM THE VICTIMS:  Thursday, November 4th 5:30-6:30pm, Florida Gulf Coast University, Reed Hall, Room 249.  Beauty From Ashes (BFA) founder and human trafficking over-comer, Julie Shematz, will be presenting the multi-media presentation: Human Trafficking 101 & Hearing From the Victims.  Event is sponsored by the Student Abolitionist Movement and Honors Program.  Free food will be served.  Event is open to the public.  For more information on BFA presentations, CLICK HERE

BFA MONTHLY VOLUNTEER MEETING:  Saturday, November 6th, 9am-Noon, Barry University, Room 500-1.   We'll be planning, strategizing, fellowshipping,  inventorying beauty supplies and donations and assembling gift bags and care packages.  If you've wanted to get involved in the anti-slavery movement this is great way to begin and meet the BFA FREEdom™ Team.  Continental breakfast is served.  Please RSVP to the Volunteer Coordinator, Dotti Craig, by Friday, November 5th 5pm.  

FURNITURE NEEDED:  Washer and Dryer, Living Room Furniture- Coffee Table, Sofa and Chairs, Dining Table and Chairs, 2 Nightstands, Vacuum Cleaner and 4-5 Lamps are needed for a family that relocated from South Bend, Indiana to Fort Myers to serve BFA.  They literally sold their belongings, gave to the poor and took up their cross to follow Jesus here . . . they have stepped out of the boat to walk on the water.  Remarkably, it was exactly 8 years ago this week that Julie Shematz (then Taylor), too, took a step of faith and arrived in a 10x10 One Way moving truck in Fort Myers, FL having relocated from Indiana with an enormous vision of a ministry that would reach, rescue and restore victims of commercialized sexual exploitation and trafficking.  The couple, who both have college degrees, is also in need of employment.  If you or anyone you know can help, please email Jeff & Jennifer Blye or call (574) 855-7215.

CAR NEEDED FOR SURVIVOR:  Thanks to our generous partners, we have raised $585 for the human sex trafficking survivor, single mother, that we told you about 2 weeks ago.  We sill need another $915 to purchase the $1500 car for her to use as transportation.  Will you please consider giving a tax deductible donation today?  Any amount will be appreciated and it all adds up!  If you have a well running vehicle that you would like to donate, please contact Julie Shematz.  

STRIP CLUB OUTREACH:  Saturday, November 13th, the BFA OutrEACH team will be doing our monthly outREACH to a local strip club.  The team will be serving a home cooked meal, giving away gift bags and sharing the Word of God with the employees.  We are in need of Bibles and cooks for these outREACHes.  Please contact BFA Food Coordinator, Tirzah Brown, if you're interested in preparing food and BFA Evangelist, Ann Peterson, for donations of Bibles and thank you!

BREAKING FREE BIBLE STUDY:  Beginning Wednesday, November 17th, 1pm-3pm, Barry University, Room 500-1, we will be presenting Beth Moore's Breaking Free:  The Journey, The Stories bible study for 11 weeks through February 2, 2011.  We are seeking mature, stable, Christian women to attend this 11 week study that are willing to provide discipleship to the women to whom we've been reaching out in the area.  If you are interested in fulfilling Titus 2:3-4 and the Great Commission, or you are a sex worker or survivor desiring to attend,  please contact Julie Shematz for registration.  Lunch will be provided. 

theCALL2XXX:  Join us for weekly global prayer to abolish slavery and for the organizations reaching, rescuing, restoring and advocating for the victims.  Fridays 8-9am EST For more information and prayer guide:  CLICK HERE

PRAYER REQUESTS:  We care for you and have a team that prays over your every need.  Please send them to prayer@beautyfromashes.org

DONATIONS:  Your partnership is vital for us to continue providing awareness, advocacy and reach, rescue and restoration services to victims of commercialized sexual exploitation.  Please consider becoming a monthly partner by giving a tax deductible gift today.  For  $35 or more we will send you our  Child of God CD.  For secure online donations, CLICK HERE or mail your check, cash or money order to Beauty From Ashes, 5100 S. Cleveland Ave., Ste, 318-148, Fort Myers, FL 33907.

For the LATEST NEWS REGARDING DOMESTIC SEX TRAFFICKING, visit our home page:  http://www.beautyfromashes.org

BFA E-NEWSLETTER SIGN UP:  CLICK HERE

Thank you for you continued support.  Together we are better and we are making a difference! 

Steve & Julie Shematz & the BFA FREEdom™ Team

Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries  

Where Victims Become Over-Comers

BFA Founder in the News & Upcoming Awareness Events

PROGRAM CALLS ATTENTION TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING:
"Julie Shematz, who has overcome a human trafficking situation and who is the CEO and founder of Beauty from Ashes, said human trafficking is taking place within the United States through "domestic" trafficking.


"They are our natural-born citizens... they are our people," she said.


Shematz said she began her organization in 2005 because she wanted to help facilitate the resources needed to help girls and women get out of their situations. Often times, when victims are found, no one knows what to do with them, or how to provide them with the correct long term care."  READ MORE

UPCOMING BFA AWARENESS & PREVENTION EVENTS: 

Thursday, November 4th, 5:30 - 6:30pm, Fort Myers, FL:  Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU), Reed Hall, Room 249 - Human Trafficking 101 & Hearing From the Victims  will be presented by Julie Shematz to students and faculty.  The event is open to the public and sponsored by the Student Abolitionist Movement and Honors Society.  

Sunday, November 14th, 5:00-6:30pm, North Fort Myers, FL: Wesleyan Diplomat Church - Human Trafficking 101, Hearing From the Victims & Addressing Demand will be presented by Julie Shematz.  Event is sponsored by Women's Ministries.  

BFA EDUCATION PRESENTATIONS:  

One of BFA's  goals is to equip others to reach, rescue and restore victims of commercialized sexual exploitation and trafficking with the message there is help and a way out. Since 2005, BFA has been providing 'victim/survivor-centered' training and human trafficking awareness presentations locally and across the United States.  

Current presentations that we offer:

Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking:  Identifying & Responding to America's Trafficked Youth

Human Trafficking 101 & Hearing from the Victims 

Human Trafficking: Addressing Demand 
Sex Worker AfterCARE
Street OutREACH
Strip Club OutREACH

XXX OutREACH

Mrs. Shematz  has over fifteen years experience working with victims and survivors of commercialized sexual exploitation and trafficking.  Currently a graduate student in Mental Health Counseling at Florida Gulf Coast University, she is a member of Golden Key International Honor Society and Chi Sigma Iota Counseling Honor Society International.   For more information and to schedule an event, CLICK HERE 

“Survivor leadership is critical to establishing appropriate protections and restoration for victims of sex trafficking, as they have shared histories and, as a result can often establish trust more quickly . . . Several successful programs and organizations are led by survivors  currently and these should be supported further to be more effective.  Survivors must be leaders in the development of services, shelter, and response protocols to sex trafficking.”

(National Report on Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking, 2009) 

Public Outreach and Communications

Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries  

Where Victims Become Over-Comers