Two months before her birthday, Austin resident Grace Salas sent us an email to tell us she wanted to support our mission through a virtual fun run. Though she had never planned a fundraiser before, she was struck by our mission to bring hope and healing to survivors of sex trafficking and wanted to use her birthday as a way to champion our cause among her friends and family.
Grace created an event sign-up page, designed t-shirts, and asked her community to join her, and on December 19th over 50 people participated in her socially-distanced, virtual Run for The Refuge, raising over $3,000.
Thank you, Grace, for not only using your passion to fundraise, but also for spreading the word about our mission to all of your friends and family. Through your bold action, you mobilized 50 new advocates for The Refuge!
Bannockburn Church Collection Drive
In late October, we started preparing for new arrivals at The Refuge Ranch by asking for home goods needed for the bedrooms, living rooms, and kitchens in our cottages. Bannockburn Church, one of our wonderful church partners, heard about our Stock Our Cottages initiative and called on their congregation to start collecting bundles of needed items. Together, they collected over $4,000 worth of bedding, towels, pillows, home décor, paper towels and other items needed to warmly welcome new girls to The Refuge Ranch.