Celebrate Black History Month by exploring Seattle through the neighborhoods that Black entrepreneurs and makers help shape every day. We’ve put together a curated guide of Black-owned businesses in and around Columbia City, Rainier Valley, Hillman City, and the Central District, plus easy “day out” itineraries to make supporting local simple and fun. Read the full blog to discover the list, plan your route, and find new favorites!
January at REST was a quiet return to what matters most: routine, connection, and steady steps forward. With workshops restarting, community spaces reopening, and our team growing stronger, we’ve seen again how consistency helps survivors refocus, rebuild momentum, and move toward their goals. Read the full blog to see what’s been happening inside the ERC and how your support is making it possible.
Fifteen years ago, REST began with one bold belief: survivors deserve dignity, compassion, and real pathways forward. Since 2009, that belief has looked like calls answered when someone had nowhere else to turn, advocates showing up again and again, and a community refusing to look away. In our 15-year anniversary blog, we reflect on REST’s journey from our beginnings in 2009 through becoming an official 501(c)(3) in 2011, what this milestone truly represents, and why we’re more committed than ever to the work ahead. Read the full post to celebrate with us and see what’s next.
REST’s new Signature Tea Collection is here, and it’s steeped in purpose. These six bright and cozy blends on Adagio let you enjoy a cup you love while supporting survivors, with five percent of every purchase going back to REST. In the blog, meet each tea, discover our “tea mates” pairings, and learn how this simple ritual can help create safety, steady care, and new beginnings.
December at REST was filled with moments of connection, creativity, and hope. From a Winter Wonderland Open Mic Night where guests shared music and stories, to Holiday Spirit Week activities and a caroling visit that brought joy to seniors in memory care, this season reminded us how powerful community can be. We also celebrated making Christmas morning special for shelter guests and honored our team with quarterly Value Awards. Read the full recap and see what hope in action looked like all month.
Celebrate Black History Month by exploring Seattle through the neighborhoods that Black entrepreneurs and makers help shape every day. We’ve put together a curated guide of Black-owned businesses in and around Columbia City, Rainier Valley, Hillman City, and the Central District, plus easy “day out” itineraries to make supporting local simple and fun. Read the full blog to discover the list, plan your route, and find new favorites!
January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month, a time to learn the realities of trafficking, challenge common myths, and take practical steps that make exploitation harder to hide and easier to interrupt. This year’s theme, Stronger Connections. Stronger Futures., reminds us that prevention often starts with something we can all help create: safe, consistent connection. Learn what trafficking really looks like, why awareness matters, how REST supports survivors, and simple ways you can take action.
Sex‑trafficking survivors face staggering mental‑health challenges—PTSD in one‑third, depression in more than 70 %, and suicide‑attempt rates higher than combat veterans. REST’s trauma‑informed therapies, mind‑body interventions, and peer‑support programs helped clients log 257 healing milestones last year alone. Discover how evidence‑based care turns trauma into hope—and how you can give, share, advocate, or volunteer to make freedom truly healing.
Sex trafficking is a grave human rights violation that disproportionately impacts women and girls worldwide. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, it’s essential to reflect on how the fight for gender equality has strengthened efforts to combat trafficking and exploitation. From legal reforms like the Swedish Model to ongoing challenges in policy, enforcement, and survivor support, this blog explores the intersections of women’s rights and anti-trafficking efforts—and how we can all play a role in driving change. Read now to learn how you can take action!
Most of the photographs representing survivors on this website are stock photography and feature models used for illustrative purposes only. With a few carefully evaluated exceptions, we do not publish or share photos of survivors at REST.
