YWCA Northeast Kansas to Celebrate Grand Opening of Day Center for Victims of Human Trafficking
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEYWCA Northeast Kansas to Celebrate Grand Opening of Day Center for Victims of Human TraffickingTOPEKA – YWCA Northeast Kansas is proud to announce that the YWCA Center for Safety and Empowerment will open Topeka’s first daytime drop-in center for victim-survivors of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation on Friday, November 22nd.
Along with the Kansas Attorney General, Downtown Topeka Rotary and Topeka South Rotary, and Greater Topeka Partnership, YWCA Northeast Kansas plans to commemorate the grand opening of the new day center with a ribbon cutting and open house from 2 pm to 5 pm at 1309 SW Huntoon. Parking will be available on the west side of the GraceMed parking lot.“While we have been providing services to victims of human trafficking since 2014, we served 118 individuals in our Center for Safety and Empowerment in 2018 alone, and this number continues to grow,” YWCA CEO Kathleen Marker said.YWCA Northeast Kansas has learned that there is a great need in our community to provide this particular type of service model. “Our staff has learned from first-hand experience that we can’t meet the higher level of services such as case management and counseling until we address clients’ most basic needs. The day center will allow us to provide a safe space to rest and take a shower, enjoy a warm meal, have access to clean clothes and support from our specialized staff and the community,” said Marker.
"The day center will allow us to provide a safe space to rest and take a shower, enjoy a warm meal, have access to clean clothes and support from our specialized staff and the community." - Kathleen Marker, YWCA Northeast Kansas CEO
The day center has been made possible by funding from the Topeka Rotary Foundation, Topeka South Rotary, Rotary District 5710 (Eastern Kansas), Rotary District 3141 (Mumbai), a private donor, and the Rotary International Foundation.
The YWCA Center for Safety and Empowerment, formerly the Battered Women Task Force, has provided vitally important services to victims of sexual and domestic violence for over 40 years. Services include a 24-hour crisis hotline, emergency shelter, individual and group counseling, court advocacy, public education, and case management. The organization provides direct services to over 3,000 survivors of sexual and domestic violence, stalking and human trafficking each year, taking over 2,500 hotline calls and sheltering over 300 women, men and children annually. For more information on how to donate or get involved visit http://www.ywcaneks.org.If you or someone you know needs help, please call the 24-hour crisis line: 1-888-822-2983.
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Contact:Allison MarkerResource Development Director785-233-1750 ext. 222