The Refuge for Women has purchased a home in McHenry County.

It will be used to house women who have been victims of sex trafficking.

“Residential restorative after care” will be provided.

In the state of Illinois there are less than 30 specialized beds available and nationally there are only 685 with 75% of those for minors.  Refuge for Women has stepped in to fill this gap.  Refuge is a national network of homes that is adding to the number of beds available for adult women.

The following request for help from the community has arrived in my inbox and I share it with you below:

Refuge for Women tee shirt.

We are so excited to have closed on the house that will be our Refuge For Women Chicago area home!  Many of you have asked what we need or how you can help, so we wanted to let you know!
We have 3 needs we consider priority.1.  We have a fair amount of work to be done in the house and are in need of Home Depot gift cards to help us cover that cost and engage with all the wonderful volunteers who have offered to donate their labor for home repairs.  We will use the gift cards for repairs, paint, ceiling fans, new vanities, new toilet seats, etc.  If you can help in this way so we can begin repairs, please send a Home Depot gift card, in any amount, to our mailing address at:

Refuge For Women

180 S Western Blvd #123

Carpentersville, IL 60110

 

2.  We are looking for people that would be willing to host a shower for one of the rooms in our Refuge home.  This would be similar to a baby shower or new home shower, and all of the details will be provided for you.  If you can help in this way, please contact Donna.Gauthier@Refugeforwomen.org for more information.

3.  We are looking for someone with a trailer that would be able to pick up furniture items we have in storage.  If you can help in this way please contact Linda Foresta at 630-440-8631.

We are so encouraged by all those who are excited and willing to help.  We cannot do this without you!

These are our immediate needs in order to open our home to the women we’ve all been waiting to help.

We are in the process of creating a “wish list” for items that are not necessarily a priority, but definitely needed and will be sending that out soon.

Here’s how the program works:

How Has Refuge for Women Made a Difference?

(stats are from 7.2010-1.2016)

Residential, 3 phase, 9-12 month, faith based, healing/equipping program set in a structured, supportive,
family like environment

• 181 women, ages 18-56, have applied to Refuge for Women,
• 91 have stayed past the first week
• 23% graduate
• 77% of women who participate in the program do not return to the sex industry
• 95% of women who graduate do not return to the sex industry
• 73% make a profession of faith and get baptized
• 54% of women have children

The Facebook page:  www.facebook.com/RFWChicago