For survivors of sex trafficking, the road to recovery can be extremely difficult. Many have experienced trauma, physical abuse, lack of basic needs, and loss of dignity. This leaves them feeling helpless, scared, and isolated. Some survivors find strength in turning their stories into tools to help other victims and survivors of sex trafficking.
REST Art Spa: A Safe Space for Creative Healing
Change Starts With Awareness
A Safe Place to Call Home
At REST, we know that safe and stable housing is a critical piece of the puzzle when recovering from trafficking and building economic independence. In 2012 we opened our first transitional housing – REST House South. On Wednesday, November 16, we celebrated the opening of our second house, REST House North, with a ribbon cutting and open house.
REST House North was made possible through a collaboration with Compass Housing Alliance, who invited REST to take over management of the house, and dedicated funding from The Jensen Project. In December 2021, REST held a fundraiser to cover additional costs to remodel and furnish the new living spaces. Now it is ready to welcome the first residents.
“Dozens of volunteers have donated labor to help with the flooring and the painting. It’s just been a real team effort. Our staff has really come together to make sure this feels like home.”
The ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house drew together donors, supporters, volunteers, staff, and survivors, including Cassie, who will be moving into REST House North.
“Anyone’s journey to REST can be complicated. The vulnerability that comes with accepting yourself as an agent for your own destiny is a lot. Learning responsibility, accountability, and more while grasping at stability......emotions are running high. REST makes sure you don’t have to be alone.”
REST Community Services Supervisor Jessica Clayton believes safety, support, and stability are factors whose importance cannot be overstated.
“I see more than just a collection of walls, rooms, and roof. I see infinite opportunities. I see a place, not just to rest but to grow, a safe haven and a chance for stability. It is my hope and belief that all those who work with us see the same too.”
REST House North and South are completely furnished with a total of 11 beds for adults ages 18 and older of all genders to stay rent-free for up to a year while they work on their personal goals and access supportive services through REST and other community partners.
REST House North has five private bedrooms giving each survivor-resident the privacy and security they need to rest, recover, and stabilize. The rest of the house is a communal living space that includes a kitchen, dining area, upper and lower living rooms, bathrooms, and an office/craft room.
While living in either house, residents can work with REST Housing Specialists to prepare for a future transition into permanent housing. They also have access to REST’s services, including intensive case management, employment services, peer support, and more.
“It is impossible to gain or maintain employment, address mental health or substance use needs, or pursue any other goals without the safety of a secure location to call home.”
The Future of REST Part 3: Announcing a Change in Leadership
The last blog in our series is one that hits closer to home for me. Twelve years ago, I felt a calling in my spirit to start REST. I knew it would require sacrifice, bring joy, and take over my life. I was scared but said yes. I could not have imagined that we would grow to build out a continuum of care serving over 600 survivors a year. And now that REST has adopted a new mission to expand pathways to freedom, safety, and hope in order to end sex trafficking, with specific opportunities to multiply impact across the United States, I believe it is the right time for a new leader to step in as Executive Director.
While it will be a significant change for me to step out of the Executive Director role, I am confident this is a strategic move for our mission. I will be joining REST’s Board of Directors to initiate and help drive national impact projects and partnerships forward. This new seat will be the best way to leverage my strengths for our next phase of growth. There are three reasons why I think this is the right move.
First, at my core I am a builder and an entrepreneur, bringing new ideas to life in order to create meaningful impact. I’m wired to steer toward strategy, fast growth, and impact, which has served us well so far, though I recognize at times it has put a strain on our team and our systems to grow so quickly. This next stage for REST, as it would be for any organization at this stage of its life cycle, is to have steady upward growth through incremental change, maintaining and upgrading, and refining. REST deserves a leader who is wired for this type of growth, ideally someone who has experience growing an organization of our size to the next level with both sustainability and impact.
Second, I have prioritized reputation and credibility over awareness, but all are important. We will maintain thoughtfulness and quality in our approach, but it’s time for the mission of REST to have a leader who is eager to be the face of the organization and build stronger communications and public relations activities so that we can expand our reach and draw more people into our work. This is an essential part of the next season for REST and I know this is just not how I am wired. I’m excited for us to have an Executive Director who naturally seeks out and creates more opportunities to tell the story of REST.
Third, it’s natural for an organization to experience “founder syndrome” where the founder becomes a central knowledge source and we start to get stuck in the ways we’ve always done things. Stepping aside opens the door for new ideas, new systems, and new opportunities for courageous leadership and decision-making to flourish throughout the organization. By joining the Board I can still provide continuity of leadership and be ready to fuel those new ideas with support and strategy.
It has taken me some time to reach this decision and I am at a place where I feel great about what this will mean for REST and for me. The Board of Directors has been supportive and agrees with the benefit of this move for the organization. You can read a note from the Board to learn more about their perspective on the transition.
The Board has initiated a search committee and will be working with a firm to implement a national search for our next Executive Director, which we anticipate will take about six months. I will remain in the position until our next Executive Director is in place.
To all of REST’s partners, supporters, employees, and volunteers - you have made the work of REST possible and it has been my deepest honor to walk alongside all of you, and the survivors who have entrusted us with their care. As we prepare to expand our reach and multiply our impact, it is a perfect time for all of us to deepen our investment with REST and advance the mission. Together we will expand pathways to freedom, safety, and hope in order to end sex trafficking. Because everyone is worthy of love and deserves to live a life without exploitation.
Amanda Hightower
Founder & Executive Director