Freedom a la Cart
Who We Are: Freedom a la Cart empowers survivors of sex trafficking and exploitation to build lives of freedom and self-sufficiency. We believe that giving a woman practical job skills and developing a strong work ethic is vital for creating a pathway to freedom. So, we’ve created a safe place of restoration where survivors can heal, learn and grow as they prepare for sustainable employment and reintegrate into our community.
What We Do: Freedom a la Cart understands that in order t move sex trafficking survivors out of vulnerability and poverty and into stability and economic self-sufficiency requires more than a job. So, Freedom developed a 24-month comprehensive life skills training AND workforce development program that includes: resource (case) management; job coaching; social connection; trauma counseling; and financial literacy. By addressing this link between impact services, community, and employment, survivors are able to build a life of independence. Our goal is to prepare survivors for personal and economic stability, train them for jobs in the community and link them directly with employers.
Why We’re Important: As many as 1200 solicitation arrests are made each year in Franklin County. An estimated 92% are identified as victims of human trafficking—trafficked since the average age of 13. As a result, they lack job skills and face complex barriers to employment in the traditional workplace: criminal records, arrested development, traumatic brain injuries that affect logic and memory, post-traumatic stress disorder, addiction, and mental health issues. Our program is designed to ease survivors back into the workforce and continue their journey to restoration and self sufficiency.
How We Impact the Community: Freedom a la Cart has provided job training to over 100 survivors–80 of those being in the last five years of which 83% have not received any new criminal charge since participating in our program. Freedom a la Cart has provided supportive services to over 420 survivors in 2020.
How You Can Help: There are multiple ways to get involved with Freedom a la Cart, from volunteering in the kitchen; tutoring survivors earning their GED; ordering from our cafe and/or catering menu; personal contribution and more! You can learn more by visiting our website at freedomalacart.org/engage
Connect with Freedom a la Cart
123 E. Spring Street
Columbus OH 43215
614.992.3252
Donate: freedomalacart.org/donate-now
Chief Executive Officer: Paula Haines
Email: paula@freedomalacart.org
Community Engagement Coordinator: Bekah Moran
Email: bekah@freedomalacart.org
