The women whom JSL serves have known loss and uncertainty long before the Covid-19 health and economic crisis. Which is why we found it critically important to make JSL a place of stability and hope in such uncertain times. At the time of the shutdown, we had just graduated three ACCESS students. Traditionally, when students graduate, they will have secured a living-wage job. Since this was an impossibility due to the pandemic shutdown, hope seemed fuzzy at best.

 

Yes, it had been since the spring of 2019 that we were able to host a fundraising event. Yes, our donor base has sustained a hit during the pandemic. Yes, the issues of isolation and poverty could have been devastating for our clients.

 

During a time when businesses were shuttering, we were able to hire 6 survivors of commercial sex exploitation with living-wage jobs. Today, four are still working with us. When survivors graduate ACCESS and are able to work at Jesus Said Love and Lovely, investment towards jobs ignites exponential change. Having a living-wage job creates upward economic mobility for survivors and their kids but it then gets multiplied as these survivor leaders invest in those that follow in their footsteps.

 

However, funding for two of the four runs out at the end of the year. We long to see them stay on board with us and thrive in 2022.

 

We are asking you to help us keep these resilient and hard-working women on staff by joining our Awaken 91 Campaign: 91 supporters pledging $150 or more to support survivor jobs. We need 91 supporters by October 31. If $150 is out of your budget, $25, $50 or even $100 a month can make a substantial difference. If you join Awaken 91, next October, you will be invited to our private partner experience, WildTorch: Fireside, where you’ll hear and see first hand the returns on your investment—Love in action.

 

On behalf of our entire JSL family, thank you for being a part of the story that is changing lives and impacting our community.