we are not a sad story

We will not show you sad pictures.

We will not post pictures of hands in chains or barcodes on foreheads. 

We are not a house filled with tragic stories. We are a house filled with hope, joy, struggle, and resilience. 

It’s the sad-picture time of year. So many charities are doing good work in the world, and in their year-end appeals, are sharing sad pictures to motivate you to give. And these pictures and sad stories—they’re real. They’re awful. And they are received by most with pity and compassion. And in turn, people send in money. 

But we wonder…

Do you need to know our pain to believe that we are worth your dollars? 

Do you need to hear our awful stories in order to be convinced of our worth?

Does a picture of hands in chains better convince you that sex trafficking is real and tragic and horrific? 

What if we told you instead, that in two and half years, we have provided over 5,000 nights of safe sleep for women in recovery? That we come together for 10 hours of group therapy a week? That some of us have jobs and some of us are going to school and all of us are clean, sober, and getting stronger every day. That we have celebrated three Thanksgivings and Christmases with tables full of food and the dining room filled with laughter. That we are a community of joy—joy that’s born out of pain and struggle, and celebrates the light because we also know just how dark it can get.

Can you be a part of our joy too? Can you give because you see our hope and resilience, and not because you are moved to pity?

You can support our community by giving, out of joy, here: https://magdalenestl.kindful.com/?campaign=262388