Newsletter – SUMMER 2018, Edition 11

Dearest Community Heroes;

You continue to ARM those we serve with the creative tools they need to activate the resources inside of themselves as well as resources around them.

Awareness of the issue of Human Trafficking in our county, state and country continues to increase, which means we become more equipped to not only address the issue, but to abolish it. It is great to see the younger generations coming together to address the issue, as it is their peers who have become the targets for the traffickers.

Recently, two students from Northgate High School, Rose Young and Allison Wade asked if they could help ARM of Care as a way to fulfill their Senior Project. These two young women were involved in November 2017 in taking a group of young women to a ballet performance sponsored by ARM of Care. Prior to the event , they were part of a group that made a lovely Thanksgiving meal for them. At the dinner, Allison asked one of the girls what she missed most about not going to high school (she was trafficked during most of her high school years). The girl responded, “the Prom.” Thus the idea for creating an “All Girls Prom” was born!

Rose and Allison raised funds, rallied community support and organized all the details for a memorable event. The April evening included a catered meal served by a few young men, a magician, dancing, festive decorations, a photo booth with take-home photos in frames (with sashes and crowns that read “Prom Queen”) and special gift bags.

Later that week, those in attendance created personal scrapbooks to remember the event. One of the young girls said, “This is the best party I have ever been to!”

All the volunteers that helped before and at the event showed the young women what is necessary to bring healing- respect and love. This demonstration of care served to rewire their nervous systems (their thoughts and feelings) to receive and know that they deserve love and respect.

This special program and our regular programs continue to need your support. Please join us on September 23rd for our 6th annual fundraising event so we can grow together as a community in addressing this issue.

Disrespect for a person, disregarding their well-being and letting evil overtake one’s life and mind is at the root of this problem. It is hard to get our minds around those who would sell or buy human beings.

We have heard it said that “hurt people hurt people”…that it is why it is important to address our own personal hurts and injustices. When we do that through a consistent time of self-reflection in our own lives, our own healing serves to reverberate through our community, and to offer healing in a variety of creative ways to those who are victims of any crime.For the sake of ARM of Care’s work, I am specifically talking about for those who have been sexually abused, violated, exploited and those at risk for these crimes.

I do believe each of us has a part. It begins with caring for ourselves which includes understanding our own hurts and failures, gifts and interests, and the personal injustices we each have experienced and how we have overcome them. Thusly, we can be available to do our part to help right the injustices done to those in our midst.

We are grateful for your part in inspiring everyone we serve… to feel like the Prom Queen and the Prom King! We wonder what your sash or crown would read. Our sash and crown on you would read “Hero of Queens and Kings”.

With Crowns and Sashes, Love and Respect,