Love in the Time of Coronavirus
Steven Phenix
Love in the Time of Coronavirus
Love + Action: How we've adapted and how you can help
By Brooke Crowder, Founder and CEO, The Refuge for DMST™
“You are loved!”
This photograph and the one above were both shot by one of the residents. After taking a photography class, several of the girls have grown to be ardent shutterbugs. This particular Dove Tile, from a cottage kitchen back splash, seems to be a favorite subject.
Though the coronavirus pandemic still impacts our daily lives, The Refuge remains firm in our commitment to continue to provide 24/7 comprehensive care and services to young trafficking survivors.
Back in March, we moved swiftly to put new guidelines in place to protect the health and well-being of our staff and girls. For a brief period, we halted new placements of girls while we created innovative intake protocols, utilizing The Haven cottage on our campus to assure the safety of the girls and staff already at The Refuge Ranch. Thankfully, we are happy to share that starting in early May we resumed taking in new placements of girls in need of our care.
We are acutely aware that we cannot stop providing services or layoff staff during this challenging time. Since this pandemic is creating an elevated need in our community and state-wide for safe places where a child can heal from her trafficking experience, we need to figure out how we can serve more girls in the months to come.
To ensure we maintain our high standards of care, retain staff and continue welcoming new girls to The Refuge Ranch, we have taken the following measures to ensure financial sustainability:
We quickly filed and received funding in the first round of the Federal Cares Act- PPP Loan/Grant Program.
We developed an even more stringent 2020 budget that still allows us to maintain a high level of care and current child-to-staff ratio.
We put new policies in place to help cut down on expenditures which can be delayed during these challenging times.
We revamped our food and supplies purchase process with a new vendor. To date, we’ve seen a 30% decrease in our monthly costs in these areas.
Our highest priority has always been and continues to be to provide the very best care possible for the girls living at The Refuge Ranch. We have examined new ways of operating in this season of COVID-19, while maintaining excellence in every area of our organization. I do believe that this unforeseen challenge has made us a stronger organization. With that said, I am concerned. While we always forecast for lower donations in the late spring and summer months, this summer will be our most daunting to date.
This pandemic has caused havoc on the financial markets and pocketbooks of everyone, and there is a lot of fear and uncertainty, no matter the size of the pocketbook. Please know that we understand, and we cherish our relationship with you regardless of your ability to give during these uncertain times. If you have been impacted financially and need to adjust or pause your current pledge to us, please respond to this email.
We are often asked, “What can I do to help The Refuge?” In response, here are three ways you can help us:
PRAY: The staff at The Refuge cannot do the challenging work we do without being lifted up in prayer. To join hundreds around the world praying for trafficked children, please visit Lions Roar 24/7.
PLEDGE: Our primary need is to have monthly donors to help with our cashflow. Any amount will have a tremendous impact. Please click here to see an array of pocketbook-friendly options.
PROMOTE: As mentioned earlier, the need to provide comprehensive services to trafficked children continues to grow. To help spread the word about The Refuge, click here for some creative ways to share our mission with your family and friends.
I am grateful to you for loving and caring for the girls who need The Refuge. I am also grateful to you for your partnership with us. Together, we built The Refuge and together we will tenaciously work to sustain The Refuge.
About The Refuge for DMST
The Refuge for DMST™ (Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking) is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has developed The Refuge Ranch, a long-term, residential, therapeutic community for 48 girls, minors through age 19, who have been rescued out of sex trafficking. Built from the ground up on 50 acres in a beautiful and restorative setting outside of Austin, TX, The Refuge Ranch provides trauma-informed, holistic care for the girls on site, including: psychiatric services from Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin’s Department of Psychiatry and the Institute for Early Life Adversity Research; education through the University of Texas-University Charter School (UT-UCS); medical services by community partners; and various therapeutic programs uniquely designed for the development of a child survivor. The Refuge Ranch is the largest long-term, live-in rehabilitation facility for child survivors of sex trafficking in the United States.