March eNews: Matching Grant, Resource/Therapy Center, OutREACHes & MORE!

OUR MISSION: To prevent, reach, and restore victims of sexual abuse, exploitation, and trafficking. MATCHING GRANT:  Thanks to the generosity of one of our partners, all donations from $25 up to $10,000 will be doubled!  Our annual budget is $72,000, of which $24,000 has been pledged.  Will you help us raise $20,000 more through this funding opportunity?  Maximize your impact today by supporting Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries, a grass roots, human trafficking, survivor-led, community service agency, based in Florida and providing services nationally.  NEW RESOURCE/THERAPY CENTER: Our new 750 square foot Resource/Therapy Center is a very busy place where clients and their families work daily towards becoming overcomers.  Currently, we have an active client list of over 40 women and children, with 20+ weekly participating in our programs (not including outREACHes)!  Our Resource/Therapy Center includes a computer room, children's area, volunteer stations, multi-media resources, private counseling rooms, and a blessing closet.  Additionally, we have now added a beautiful therapy garden that clients are maintaining.  We are seeking partners to underwrite the $600 monthly rent and utilities expense for the Resource/Therapy Center.  If you will sponsor our Resource/Therapy Center for one, three, six months or a year, please call (239) 939-9218.  You can give securely online HERE.  BABY SHOWER:  One of our clients is having a baby SOON and we need male baby items, especially diapers and wipes. Call (239) 939-9218 to drop off items, or have them delivered to our mailing address below. To donate funds for items, you can give securely online.  Please notate Baby in memo.   CURRENT NEEDS:  Serving a large number of clients on a regular basis and many others who are contemplating life change, we cannot do this on our own.  We need your help!   CLICK HERE for a complete list of our current, tangible needs.  Please consider partnering with us today. VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH:  Since 2003, he's provided countless hours building this ministry from the ground up doing just about every thing anyone could imagine from technical support, editing, website development and maintenance, cooking, social media, outREACHes, driving, training, preparing meals, gift assembly, moving, running errands, developing budgets, programs, services, mucking stalls, grooming horses, and supporting our Founder and Executive Director professionally and personally.  Serving with a heart of compassion, he continues to give the ministry countless sacrificial resources of his time, talent, and finances.  It is with great pleasure we announce our Volunteer of the Month for March is my husband of 10 years and better half, our Vice President, Steve Shematz.  On behalf of myself, the board, staff, and every individual impacted through BFA ministries, THANK YOU Steve, for all you have done and continue to do to help victims become overcomers.   SPECIAL THANKS:  We would like to extend a very special thanks to the Canterbury School Girl Scout Troop 292 (1st & 2nd graders) for the donation of 100 boxes of Girl Scout cookies for our clients and their children!   SCOPE OF SERVICES:  We provide over 30 services and programs, FREE OF CHARGE to victims, survivors and their families.  Our services include mental health counseling, social services, spiritual counseling, career, crisis, and addiction counseling, case management, mentoring, relocation, short-term and long-term residential program placement, tutoring, wellness groups, bible study, equine facilitated learning, consulting and referral for governmental and non-governmental agencies, a support system to loved ones of s*x workers, OutREACH & AfterCARE trainings, and more.  For full list of programs & services, CLICK HERE. STRIP CLUB OUTREACH REPORT:  On Saturday, March 9th, our strip club outREACH team served a home-cooked, Italian, meal to our "adopted" strip club in Ft. Myers, Florida.  In addition to the meal, the team also gave each woman a gift bag which included beauty supplies, toiletries, information about human trafficking, and the services Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries provides.  The team were greeted with a warm welcome and after ministering to the employees, two women committed to coming to our Resource/Therapy Center for help through counseling.  Since 2002, we have been doing strip club outREACHes locally and nationally.  We've been doing monthly outREACHes to this particular club since 2008, assisting both men and women we've met by helping them build new lives and lifestyles.  To see strip club outREACH pics, CLICK HERE.   INNER-CITY OUTREACHES:  Every Wednesday morning and evening we have outREACH teams connecting with women and children in an area of Lee County most known for prostitution and drugs.  These strategic outREACHes have resulted in women opening up to us helping them transition out of destructive lifestyles.  On Wednesday mornings, we have a team of overcomers that hit the streets inviting prostituted women to our Resource/Therapy Center for coffee and donuts.  On Wednesday evenings, we have a team that participates at Grace Church while they serve between 150-200 meals a night.  We truly believe that one of the most effective ways to reach potential clients is to follow Christ's example and meet individuals where they are!  For information on our National Sex Industry OutREACH and AfterCARE Training, CLICK HERE. BREAKING FREE BIBLE STUDY:  Every Monday, led by an overcomer at our Resource/Therapy Center, ladies gather to study the Word through Beth Moore's Breaking Free bible study.  To register, call (239) 939-9218. RUN 4 WELLNESS:  Every Monday afternoon, led by an overcomer and fitness instructor, women and children gather to run for wellness.  To register, call (239) 939-9218. TUTORING 4 TOMORROW:  Every Thursday evening from 5pm - 7pm, we provide tutoring to client's children at our Resource/Therapy Center.  We believe in a holistic, family systems model for recovery.  We are seeking tutors.  If interested, please email resume and letter of intent to christa_hicks@beautyfromashes.org.  Volunteer application and background check required.  LIFE SKILLS & SUPPORT GROUP:  On Thursday evenings from 7pm-8:30pm at our Resource/Therapy Center, we provide a life skills and support group. Led by a Master's level mental health clinician who is also an overcomer, this group is for any woman working in or desiring to exit the s*x-for-sale industry, or who has suffered from s*xual abuse, trafficking or exploitation.  For more information and to register, call (239) 939-9218 or email christa_hicks@beautyfromashes.org. Free child care is provided. EQUINE-ASSISTED LEARNING & HORSEMANSHIP MENTORING PROGRAMS:  To schedule individual or group sessions, call (239) 939-9218.   Find out more about our Prevention and Restoration programs and view pictures by CLICKING HERE. BLOG:  Competency Using Horses in Therapy by BFA Founder, Julie Shematz. AWARENESS EVENTS:  We truly believe that human trafficking awareness leads to prevention, intervention, and restoration, and in the past year, we have participated in over 80 events, reaching nearly 4000 people.  Ranging from 30-90 minutes, our multi-media presentations have been presented to ages 8 through 80+.  Venues include social service agencies, churches, universities, health departments and nursing associations, Girl Scouts and country clubs.  To see our upcoming events, including our National S*x Industry Outreach and Aftercare Training, CLICK HERE.  To schedule an overcomer to speak at your event or to invite BFA, CLICK HERE. DONATIONS:  Our program and operational costs are exclusively funded through private donations.  Please consider giving a tax-deductible gift today.  Gifts from $25 up to $10,000 will be doubled through our Matching Grant!   For secure online givingCLICK HERE or send your financial gift to 13300 S. Cleveland Avenue, Suite 56, Fort Myers, FL 33907.  Thank you! MONTHLY PRAYER ALERT:  For details of how to pray for us during the month of March, CLICK HERE. PRAYER REQUESTS:  We care about your needs.  Please send your prayer requests to prayer@beautyfromashes.org. WEEKLY GLOBAL PRAYER:  Every Friday morning 8-9am CST we meet at our Resource/Therapy Center.  To join us in spirit from wherever you are and for a prayer guide, CLICK HERE. Stay up-to-date with the day-to-day operations of Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries and latest news on domestic s*x trafficking by following us on Twitter & like us on our Facebook fanpage. Follow the progress of our newest therapy horse, a white Appaloosa colt, Morning Star Spirit. In the past month, we've had clients exit the s*x for sale industry, maintain sobriety, complete their GED, enroll in college, commit to drug and alcohol rehab and long term residential programs, and most importantly give their hearts and lives to Christ.  Their milestones could not be achieved without you, our faithful supporters.  On behalf of the staff, volunteers, interns, clients, and board, we thank you for partnering with us to prevent, reach, and restore victims of s*xual exploitation, abuse and trafficking.  With sincere gratitude, Julie Shematz President Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries   Where Victims Become Over-Comers "Survivors must be leaders in the development of services, shelter, and response protocols to s*x trafficking.”  - National Report on Domestic Minor S*x Trafficking AWARENESS & PREVENTION • REACH & RESCUE • TEACH & DEMONSTRATE • TRAIN & SEND