When New Friends New Life opened its doors 25 years ago, our founding Board of Directors and early supporters could not have known just how complex or life-changing the journey ahead would be. They said yes to the mission of restoring and empowering survivors of sex trafficking and exploitation before it became a part of our society’s vernacular and well before trafficking was recognized as a federal crime.
What they did know is that a woman needed help, so they decided to take a Stand For Her.
Your year- end gift of any amount will ensure that NFNL can continue taking a #StandforHer today, and for as long as she needs us.
To take a stand on behalf of trafficking survivors requires consistency, conviction, and courage. We are so sure that this is the path to restoration and empowerment that no closed door, lack of resources, or unfavorable outcome will deter us, as long as we have your help. While we celebrate every win, our work has just begun. Thank you for your support.
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Debra had been living in fear for the past 11 years knowing that she had an active warrant for her arrest for a probation violation. She was on probation for felony prostitution convictions when she relapsed and stopped reporting to her probation officer. In 2023, she renewed her sobriety efforts by completing a drug treatment program and working to maintain sobriety. She joined NFNL’s women’s program where and with the support, she chose to overcome her fears and face up to the consequences – even expecting to go to prison. Fortunately, our staff attorney was able to get her violations discharged and her warrants deactivated. Debra is now free to continue her path to a brighter future.
Jamie ( 40) joined NFNL motivated to be a better mom for her two young children. With a history of drug addiction and being trafficked and exploited, Jamie desperately wanted a way out, and to provide a stable home environment for her children. Jamie engaged in all aspects of the Women’s Program - counseling to handle the mental trauma of her past, case management to assist with immediate needs like food and shelter for her family, and economic empowerment. Since joining NFNL, Jamie has earned and maintained steady employment, learned how to budget, has significantly reduced her debt, and is saving money for her future! In making strides towards self-growth and financial independence, Jamie believes that she is now becoming the mom her children deserve.
Sex trafficking doesn’t just cause harm to the woman being trafficked; it often negatively impacts families for generations. Sonia (16) was referred to the YRC because she was no longer enrolled in school and was being sexually exploited by older men. The YRC quickly learned that Sonia had two younger sisters who were in the exact same situation, and a mother who was trying her best to support her daughters through her own trauma of being trafficked. NFNL invited this entire family of four to receive our services. Despite multiple barriers, through the help of counseling and case management at the YRC, Sonia and her sisters are now going to school full time, have secured part-time jobs, and are communicating with each other and their mom more effectively. Their mother joined NFNL’s Women’s Program to receive economic empowerment and counseling. She now has a full-time job, has moved her family into a safe home, and is learning to process her own trauma. Due to their new-found love and support for one another, the girls and their mother were able to safely disconnect from their traffickers and are now focused on healing for a brighter future.
The Meadows Foundation, New Friends New Life (NFNL), and Bonton Farms joined together to break ground on Liberty Street Garden (LSG), a unique social enterprise project. LSG grows organic fruits, vegetables, and herbs for sale to farmers markets, local restaurants, and the community on a one-acre plot of land centered in the Wilson Historic District near downtown Dallas. LSG hires members enrolled in NFNL’s Women’s Program, providing work experience and a source of income to help survivors of trafficking and exploitation build their resumes as they rebuild their lives.
