904-438-8109 info@rethreaded.com
Why Rethreaded Exists

by | May 10, 2023

Because there is an entire infrastructure, albeit often hidden, which supports human trafficking, we need to answer it with an opposing strategy to combat it.

Rethreaded is part of that effort, building infrastructure that rethreads the lives of survivors and that educates the public so that trafficking cases no longer go unseen.

Specifically, our mission is to harness the power of business, time, and community to create choices for 500 survivors of human trafficking by 2033.

So far, we have given over 75 survivors true choices, with life-giving options to start over again, and we have much more work to do.

In order to get there, we are focusing our attention on three critical areas, where we invite your participation: business, time, and community.

A closer look at Rethreaded’s mission statement

We’ve written a whole blog about the power of choice, which is a key part of our mission statement. Here is a high-level summary.
To have a choice is to have true options to choose from. Selecting between two dangerous options isn’t a choice, it’s a reaction to painful circumstances.

Many of the survivors who enter trafficking do so because of a lack of good options. Then, when they’re manipulated into increasingly dangerous situations, any “good” options they once had disappear.

That’s why we want our survivors to choose the education, career development, counseling, family restoration, and spiritual and emotional healing that is best for them.

In other words, we want them to exercise their freedom to choose, a thread at a time, how to rebuild their lives.

Unleashing the power of business

Rethreaded uniquely harnesses the power of business in two ways.

  1. Rethreaded, though a non-profit organization, is also a business that produces and sells goods.
  2. We invite local businesses to purchase our items as corporate gifts, to donate materials we can upcycle, and to make financial contributions.

Though human trafficking is a business, the same system of buying and selling can be rethreaded for good.

Our process isn’t just about emotional rehabilitation; our survivors get involved directly in jobs with Rethreaded that build their professional skills for the next opportunity.

We match our survivors with roles on Rethreaded’s administration or production teams, both developing her skills and contributing to our sales which, combined with our donations, enable us to create and maintain a healthy work environment where lives are transformed.Additionally, we offer local businesses opportunities beyond writing checks. While we always welcome financial donations, we also create Corporate Gifts of Hope, which you can customize for your employees, colleagues, or even customers.

For instance, Tansy Moon is a realtor with Berkshire Hathaway. Every time a client closes on a property, she creates a closing gift with us. Here’s what Tansy has to say about her gifts of hope:

“Giving a closing gift from Rethreaded is not just a closing gift but is like giving an extension of myself and what I stand for. I don’t want to be an average REALTOR. I want to make a difference. Rethreaded is part of what makes me a REALTOR with purpose.” – Tansy Moon, Berkshire Hathaway

Gifts of Hope are a way to not only make another transaction, but to make a life-altering investment in the lives of our survivors.

Harnessing our time for good

There’s never enough time for everything which any of us has to get done. And yet, a few hours from each of us means days–or even weeks–of collective time to make a difference. At Rethreaded, we welcome volunteers who can commit to spending more time with us, but we also appreciate those who can only give a few hours. Every moment of your time can be transformational for our survivors.

In addition to volunteering, you can also make a difference by choosing to “rethread” your time. Instead of shopping on Amazon for gifts, consider driving down to our storefront and purchasing from our selection of products. By doing so, you not only support our mission but also contribute to the healing journey of our survivors.

In either case, the difference-maker is intentionality; each of us can stop to think about the time we have, and how we can maximize it for the good of others.

When hundreds of us make small changes in how we spend our time and resources, we can collectively transform our city and the lives of our survivors. At Rethreaded, we recognize that healing and transformation take time, which is why we offer a 3-5 year program to support survivors as they navigate their journey toward restoration. Harnessing the power of time for good means recognizing that every moment counts and that together, we can create a better future for everyone.

Creating a transformational community

One of the largest risk factors for human trafficking is isolation. That’s why we emphasize the power of community, both in our efforts to rethread survivors’ lives and in our overall support of a better, safer city.

If Jacksonville is going to be a place where traffickers realize they’re wasting their time, then it will be because hotel owners, convenience store employees, truck stop staff, major events teams, emergency responders, social workers, and ordinary citizens all catch a vision for a stronger community, where people look out for each other.

Our hope is not only to make our Campus of Hope a place for survivors to build a sustaining community, but it’s also to encourage Jacksonville to become a place with minimal homelessness, few kids aging out of foster care, and increased services for the suffering.

But to get there, we need everyone to contribute to rethreading our city. Maybe it’s volunteering with us, joining a giving circle, getting involved with at-risk youth, or helping at shelters for neighbors still searching for their way “home.”

No matter what that next step may be, we hope you will be part of the larger effort to rethread our community, one relationship at a time, until it’s a place where everyone has options, even when they’re hurting, to make real and life-giving choices.

Accomplishing that vision will make our mission of reaching 500 women not only possible, but just the beginning.

Quick Links

Wanna Help?

Take the pledge and become an advocate for human trafficking survivors

Take the Pledge

We challenge every individual and business to take the pledge to train themselves on how to spot and report human trafficking

Take the Pledge

Springfield Saturday

Hello Springfield! Come on down for a day of shopping, toffee tasting, and touring our space. Enjoy a community brunch with neighbors, and get the first pick of our seasonal items… all while supporting survivors of human trafficking.

Next Upcoming Event

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Birthday Party

Come celebrate Rethreaded's birthday and support survivors. There will be fun, games, raffles, tasty treats, and much more! We celebrate each year with a fresh theme and plenty of surprises, so be sure to stop in and help us celebrate another incredible year!

Come celebrate Rethreaded's birthday! There will be fun, games, raffles, tasty treats, and much more! We celebrate each year with a fresh theme and plenty of surprises, so be sure to stop in and help us celebrate another incredible year!

Mom’s Night Out

Enjoy reconnection, rejuvenation, and the opportunity to make a difference. This event is designed to uplift and empower moms while supporting a great cause. 

Engage in refreshing activities, enjoy specialty treats, and revel in a community of women determined to support one another through thick and thin.

This is a special event meant to engage moms with refreshing activities, specialty treats, and connections with other moms in the area.

Cocktails For A Cause

Meet with other Realtors in your area while you enjoy cocktails, networking, exclusive toffee tasting, and a personalized shopping experience while contributing to the care and support of survivors of human trafficking.

Are you in the real estate industry and looking to expand your professional network? Our Cocktails for a Cause event connects relators, interior designers, contractors, and other real estate industry professionals here in Jacksonville. You'll not only get the opportunity to network but also here from industry experts.

Women Empowering Women

Connect, uplift, and support survivors of human trafficking. Enjoy hors d'oeuvres, drinks, and Rethreaded’s unique upcycled products. Take part in authentic breakout group discussions about how to value and intentionally use your time. 

Proceeds from ticket sales provide employment, holistic care, and services for women in Rethreaded’s Survivor Development Program.

Connect with other women at our Women Empowering Women events. You'll have the opportunity to take part in authentic breakout group discussions and network with like-minded women in our community.

Mukti Freedom Gala

Join us for our largest annual fundraiser. Enjoy a champagne welcome, hors d’oeuvres, an open bar, seated dinner, silent and live auctions, entertainment, and dancing. 

As always, proceeds from this event go directly toward supporting survivors of human trafficking.

Our Mukti Gala is our largest annual fundraiser that helps us provide the resources needed for the survivor's development program. We would love your support at our next Mukti- which means "freedom" in Bengali - and help change lives with us. Plus, if you have the opportunity to join us in the festivities you'll get to enjoy an open bar, seated dinner, silent and live auctions, entertainment, dancing and so much more!

Human Trafficking Educational Panel

Join us as we discuss human trafficking prevention, dispel myths, and learn how to empower survivors. Experts will share their insights, experience, and perspective. Ticket proceeds support survivor care, support, and education.

Want to learn more about human trafficking prevention, dispel myths, and how you can empower survivors? Join us at one of our Human Trafficking Educational Panels where experts share their insights, experiences, and perspectives.