There are a lot of great things happening in and around Atlanta, especially for African-Americans. It’s like Chocolate City with events and activities that center around African-American culture. But did you know that Atlanta is the number 1 city in the United States with the highest sex trade economy of $290 million a year. Yes, you read that right. Sex trafficking in Atlanta is an epidemic. In fact, Atlanta had the largest sex trade between 2003 and 2007 and 2018. Because of such staggering statistics, it is hard to ignore this epidemic plaguing our city and state.
That’s why NikkiFreeCARES has built a relationship with BeLoved Atlanta to provide clothing for the women the organization serves. BeLoved Atlanta is the only two-year residential home and program for adult women surviving prostitution, trafficking and addiction.
BeLoved Atlanta Founder Amelia Quinn began the organization in 2012 following a trip to Costa Rica. There she saw firsthand the work of LightForce International. She knew she had to address the issue of human trafficking in Atlanta.
“We often look at women in prostitution as criminals, but we believe that each woman deserves to be respected by her community,” said Amelia Quinn, founder of BeLoved. “She is gifted, strong, and trustworthy; she is a survivor.”
BeLoved Atlanta Serves A Greater Need
Seven years later, with community at its core, Beloved Atlanta continues to support women on their path to overcome commercial sexual exploitation. Women complete three phases over the two-year commitment to the residential program. Through an individualized plan, which includes restoration, education, and employment, women are supported in healing past trauma in order to ultimately graduate from the program with a full-time job and three months of living expenses saved.
BeLoved Atlanta embodies the meaning of Luke 12:48 rendering it the perfect organization for NikkiFreeCARES to partner with. We have donated nearly 1,000 pounds of clothing (sizes 12-20) to the organization since 2018. When we first reached out to BeLoved, they shared they were in need to plus size clothing. Most of their clothing donations contained mostly straight sizes, leaving many women without any variety. NikkiFree to the rescue! And I look forward to continuing to support this worthwhile and important organization.
Check out the video below of our last donation drop at BeLoved Atlanta.