Strong Start to 2025
National Human Trafficking Awareness Month Recap
January was National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and it was a powerful month for SFMB. We had said in our last newsletter that "dedicating this month to awareness for such a widespread human issue presents a powerful opportunity to spread hope for change". We were blessed with an abundance of this hope and the chance for change in our community. Through this season of transition, we are not only preparing for new residents to enter our safe house, we are witnessing the beautiful response of our community to the mission of ending modern-day slavery!
We celebrate that the Monterey County Office of Education (MCOE) honored SFMB’s Executive Director Ashley Chesney, proudly recognizing her impactful work by presenting her with a resolution in honor of Human Trafficking Awareness Month. The resolution highlights her unwavering commitment to raising awareness, advocating for victims, and spearheading initiatives that aim to end human trafficking in our communities.
Additionally, Ashley was honored at our state assembly alongside 6 other survivor leaders in honor of her fearless, tireless, and gracious work in the anti-trafficking movement. We are beyond grateful for her leadership and investment in Set Free Monterey Bay and beyond!
Staff Retreat & Training
In January, our incredible team took some well-deserved time away from the office and headed up to the mountains for a refreshing retreat. Surrounded by nature, they recharged, bonded, and embraced the peace that only the rest within Jesus could provide.
We were also able to send our team for some intensive training with our partner organization, Eden's Glory. When reflecting on the time in Illinois, Ashley said, “We came with expectancy and left with direction. It was a time of encouragement with many divine moments as our team was equipped and prepared for this next season.” Please continue to pray for our team that they will be strengthened in this season and be able to implement the things they learned from their training.
We want to say a special thank you to our partners, Wellspring Church and Eden's Glory, for making all of this possible!
Community Outreach & Fundraisers
In addition to working directly with trafficking survivors, a big part of SFMB's mission is to raise awareness and pursue prevention efforts. We are so grateful that we had many opportunities to do this important work in January.
We attended the Monterey Bay Addiction Summit where it was inspiring to see so many community organizations coming together with the shared goal of supporting those affected by addiction. The conversations were meaningful, and the energy was all about finding ways to help, heal, and create lasting change.
We kicked the year off strong with our monthly volunteer training in January. We will now be able to host volunteer training each month, which means we have even more opportunities to educate our community and equip volunteers to serve in meaningful ways. If you are interested in learning more about anti-trafficking and how you can be involved in the movement, be sure to join us for our next training on February 20th.
Pastability's and the Santa Cruz Warriors hosted fundraisers for us! We are grateful for local businesses and organizations who want to be a part of moving the mission forward in our neighborhood. If you own or know of a local business that wants to join with us, please reach out!
Safe House Renovation & Wishlist
We are renovating the garage of the safe house to make it a trauma-informed classroom space with a collective partnership from Yellow Brick Road, Carmel Stone, and Cyrus Morse Construction! If you would like to help us with this project, you can visit the renovation wish list below.