A Collective Approach to Fight Human Trafficking
- Brittany Nye
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Brandy Zachariah, Tiffany Tripp, and Jami Gray never set out to start a nonprofit. In 2014, they heard of local efforts to fight human trafficking and felt prompted by the Spirit to take action. Shockingly, Ohio ranks 7th in the country for reported trafficking calls, with Columbus ranking 9th among US cities. Compelled to help, Brandy, Tiffany, and Jami made their rounds seeking opportunities to serve trafficking victims with various organizations. Over and over, they heard about the lack of emergency housing for women who want to leave the life of exploitation. The women wanted to exit their situations immediately, but there were very few beds available in the Columbus area. Despite their heartbreaking calls, organizations would be forced to leave them hanging as they scrambled to find safe places for them to stay.
After learning that emergency housing was a huge need, Brandy, Tiffany, and Jami began to work together to research organizations that filled this need in the US. They came across Out of Darkness, an organization based in Georgia, and decided to start a Columbus branch in 2015, which they operated for nine years. Within the last year, the team has begun their own organization, The Freedom Collective, which also has locations in Georgia and Florida.
The early days of the nonprofit were filled with challenges. Even though someone generously donated a home, it took four years of fundraising for them to be able to fully staff and open the home, which can house four women at a time. To add to the difficulties, the team was learning how to run a nonprofit and serve a vulnerable population in real time. The team fully relied on Jesus as they continued to cry out to Him for His provision and equipping.
They began a ministry called Princess Night Street Outreach, in which they drive around areas of the city where trafficking takes place, and seek to minister to women by speaking and praying with them and giving them a rose and a card with their hotline number. Other outreaches The Freedom Collective offers are a drop-in center on the south side where women can receive food, clothing, and connection to vital services, as well as a ministry that connects pen pals and mentors to incarcerated women who have experienced exploitation, offering encouragement and support as they serve jail time.
Individuals seeking help from these outreaches and partners from around the state and nation can call their 24-hour hotline, and The Freedom Collective will send a team to pick them up and bring them to safety at their emergency safe home. Once at the home, which is at an undisclosed location, they will first receive services providing stabilization and then placement into a long-term program that best suits their individual needs.
When some women enter The Freedom Collective's program, they are initially wary of the Christian faith, and some practice other religions. But Jami, Brandy, and their staff share the Gospel boldly with the women, offering prayer and teaching them the Bible. They share Christ's love with the women as much as possible in the short time they have with them--the average duration for crisis stabilization is about three to four weeks. Their mission is "to glorify God by bringing hope to victims of sexual exploitation, empowering them to live free, and ultimately abolishing sex trafficking."
Perhaps one of the most striking qualities of the ladies at The Freedom Collective is their commitment to collaboration. They began meeting casually with other anti-human trafficking organizations a couple of years ago out of a desire to connect with like-minded leaders. Today, they provide leadership to the For Columbus Anti-Human Trafficking Network. When they convene, they can share openly because the other leaders have been through similar experiences. Because of the unique collaboration between anti-human trafficking networks, The Freedom Collective often refers the women they serve to other organizations who can help them with a different facet of their care. Brandy describes how sometimes Scarlet Hope will meet a woman in a club who is being trafficked, and the woman will come to The Freedom Collective for emergency housing, then go to Her Song for long-term housing, and one day benefit from a scholarship offered by She Has a Name. The organizations also notify one another of grants to fund their work and write recommendations for one another. These collaborative friendships between the organizations allow them to offer more comprehensive care to the women. The tight-knit network of nonprofits can surround trafficking survivors and serve them more effectively than a single organization could alone.
When the Freedom Collective began, there were zero dollars in the bank account. Over the past ten years, Brandy, Jami, and their staff have witnessed many miracles of God's financial provision and His transformative love in the lives of trafficked women. We are so inspired by their humility, passion, knowledge, and hearts for collaboration. We encourage you to visit the websites below for opportunities to volunteer or donate, or explore other networks powered by For Columbus.
