“You made me feel like I was worth it. So many people made me feel worthless, but you helped me see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
– A survivor in Love146’s care
Love146 met Isabella several years ago in a group of youth going through our Prevention program, Not a Number. She wasn’t engaged with the meetings and struggled to complete the sessions. Our Prevention program is designed with sensitivity to the fact that some youth who attend may also have been victimized, and may struggle with confusion about what happened, or be afraid to trust and tell someone.
Many months later, Isabella was able to share what was happening to her, and was referred to our Survivor Care program. Thinking back on her time after the Prevention program, she reflected, “Love146 stayed on my mind. I kept thinking about how you could help. When I met you, it opened my eyes to the reality of human trafficking. Now I know that I’m not alone, and I’m a survivor.” As she found the strength she needed to begin to trust — she engaged with Love146’s Survivor Care, allowing us to support her on her journey of healing from exploitation.
As with most youth in our Survivor Care program, the pandemic has brought additional difficulties for Isabella. Your relentless support allowed Love146 to remain constant in supporting her through setbacks she faced and her feelings of isolation.
Because of your support, we were even able to help her family with groceries when things got tight. Isabella recently shared, “Love146 really cares and they never fail to pick me up when I’m down. You made me feel like I was worth it. So many people made me feel worthless, but you helped me see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Thank you, and Happy Holidays.
