LIFEBOAT PROJECT

 South Lake Presbyterian Church hosted the People of Faith meeting on April 24,2019. Pastor Drew welcomed everyone.

 Ruby Allen sang His Eye is on the Sparrow.

 An interesting and informative program was presented.

 Jill Bolander Cohen founded Lifeboat Project. It helps survivors of sexual and/or forced-labor trafficking. The focus is mostly for those18 and older, both male and female.  Florida is the third highest state in the nation for trafficking and central Florida is the third highest area in the state. Jill was told that raising awareness without providing services was doing everyone an injustice, so she started the Lifeboat Project.
 School age children are often targeted. They have developed an educational gaming app for kids age 10 to 18, ACT (Awareness Combats Trafficking) to help recognize the dangers.

The woman speaking is Millie, a case manager and service coordinator. The Lifeboat Project provides emergency shelter, transitional housing, and individualized support services to ensure each survivor can move past their trauma to healthy, successful lives.
 On the left is Joanne who told  how she was trafficked when she and her mother came here from the Bahamas when she was 14. They worked for a woman cleaning apartments for over a year and were never paid and were threatened. When she started with Lifeboat Joanne didn't realize that this was trafficking. Because of Lifeboat she found a safe haven and is now in college on a full wavier and giving back to the community with volunteering and musical talents.