Voices for Florida is a proud to announce that One More Child has been selected as the Open Doors Outreach Network Provider for the Southwest Florida region, effective July 1. Previously known as The Porch Light, One More Child has been a Network Provider for the Central Florida region since October 2017.
“We are very pleased to deepen our partnership with One More Child after seeing how successful they have been in providing trauma-competent services in the Central Florida region” stated Robyn Metcalf, Open Doors Statewide Director. “The selection process generated responses from very capable organizations and committed people, which made the decision difficult. We are confident One More Child will provide the quality of leadership needed to create opportunities for all of us to work together.”
Christa Hicks, Executive Director of Anti-Trafficking at One More Child, credits the interconnectedness of the Outreach Network for the seamless transition between Network Providers “Because of our experience serving the Central Florida community, and with the support of Voices as a backbone organization, we were fully prepared to hit the ground running in Southwest Florida.”
To make a referral or contact the Southwest Florida Open Doors Outreach Team, please contact 239-478-8649.
Reaching Out. Coming Together.
Last month, Voices for Florida was a featured presenter at the Florida Coalition Against Sexual Violence – Reaching Out, Coming Together Biennial Summit in Naples. Drawing in participants from coast to coast, Voices for Florida was responsible for two of the four presentations on the human trafficking track.
President Linda Alexionok and Lynne Harris, MPH, LPC, LMHC, ATR presented Trauma Competent Care, Collaboration, & Coordination: Serving Survivors of Sex Trafficking and Creating Lasting Change Through Collective Impact. This presentation facilitated a thoughtful dialogue with the audience on what trauma is and explained how Voices uses collective impact in its approach to serving survivors. Participants walked away with a deeper understanding of their role in the multidisciplinary solution to solving complex social problems.
A standing-room-only room of over 100 thought leaders and direct service providers also learned about the Open Doors Outreach Network in a presentation by President Linda Alexionok, Open Doors Education & Training Director Micheala Denny, and Open Doors Statewide Director Robyn Metcalf. After learning about the innovative program, a room of bystanders became a room of advocates eager to bring the Open Doors Outreach Network to their communities.
Outreach Network Spotlight
Dr. Marianne Thomas of One More Child recently transitioned from a Clinician to a Survivor-Mentor role in the Central Florida Region, which serves Brevard, Orange, Osceola and Polk counties. In such a large region, Dr. Thomas understands the importance of leveraging existing community resources.
“We spend a good portion of our time, each member of the team, including the directors, reaching out to the other community organizations, letting them know who we are, finding out who they are and seeing where we can work together.” Dr. Thomas said.
As a Clinician, Dr. Thomas has worked with victims of sex trafficking before. She came to the Open Doors Outreach Network through Crista Hicks, the Executive Director of Anti-Trafficking at One More Child. The two went to school together in Ft. Myers and followed similar paths in life. When Krista offered her the chance to work with the Open Doors Outreach Network, Dr. Thomas said, “I couldn’t pass up this opportunity.”
One aspect that makes Voices for Florida’s Open Doors Outreach Network unique is that it truly is a network. “There are other people you can count on as clients leave a region, as they often do. You have somewhere for them to go,” Dr. Thomas said. “We didn’t have that in [my previous position]. We were just alone. It was hard.”
Since working in the Central Florida region, Dr. Thomas has seen the success of the Open Door model. She reports that one survivor recovered after testifying against four traffickers while grieving the loss of her sister, who was also trafficked. Although the survivor endured many battles, with adequate help, she is pursuing a career in nursing, working full-time, attaining her GED and has found a healthy loving relationship. The survivor continues to receive care and support from the Open Doors team that she has built a trusting relationship with, knowing she can rely on them during times of need.
For more information, please contact the following:
- Big Bend (Leon and Bay counties): Children’s Home Society of the Big Bend, Leon: 850-219-4239; Bay: 850-819-3830
- Central Florida (Brevard, Orange, Osceola and Polk counties): One More Child, 407-799-8719
- North Coastal (Flagler and Volusia counties): Children’s Home Society of Greater Northeast Florida, 386-281-9823
- Northeast (Nassau, Duval, St. Johns, Baker and Clay counties): Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center, 904-412-8923
- Suncoast (Hillsborough, Manatee, Pinellas and Sarasota counties): More Too Life, 941-227-1012
- Southwest (Collier and Lee counties): One More Child, 239-478-8649
- Statewide Office (Tallahassee): Voices for Florida, 850-425-2621
Upcoming Dates
- 8TH Annual Mayor’s Backpack Giveaway, July 21, 2018
Earl Brown Park Amphitheater
750 S Alabama Ave, DeLand, FL 32724 - Fill the Closet, August 18, 2018 (Voices for Florida is a drop-off location for supplies now-August 18; located at 111 S Magnolia Drive Suite 4 Tallahassee, FL 32301)
Good Shepherd Catholic Parish Tallahassee
4665 Thomasville Rd, Tallahassee, Florida 32309 - DCF Child Protection Summit, September 5-7, 2018
JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes
4040 Central Florida Parkway, Orlando, FL 32837 - Shared Hope JuST Conference, October 16-18, 2018
Town & Country Resort
500 Hotel Cir N, San Diego, CA 92108 - See the Girl Summit, October 18-19, 2018
Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center
40 East Adams, Suite 130, Jacksonville, FL 32202 - APHA 2018 Annual Meeting & Expo, November 10-14, 2018
San Diego, CA
Research Highlight
Visionaries with the Courage to Change the World
Today’s world is fast and ever-changing. Modern day innovators must be able to move at warp speed. “Things aren’t linear anymore. We are living in an ecosystem world. It is more complex.” Experts who have studied today’s innovators have concluded that they all share the common attributes of innovative thinking and the ability to build trust within their followers. As an organization committed to “creating the change”, Voices for Florida understands the need to keep up with the ever-increasing pace of today’s world. As the context of leadership changes, so must our definition of leaders. Read More
On-Ramps, Intersections, and Exit Routes: A Roadmap for Systems and Industries to Prevent and Disrupt Human Trafficking
This report incorporates personal insights of survivors in its recommendations to prevent and intervene in sex trafficking. It is especially beneficial for industries that have considerable interaction with traffickers and victims such as financial services, social media, transportation, healthcare, hotels & lodging and systems serving the homeless, which collectively have a comparable level of resources to leverage against the $150 billion global sex trafficking industry. Jamie Rosseland, an Open Doors Outreach Network survivor-mentor from Florida’s Northeast region, is a contributing author to this report. Read More
If you believe you are a victim of or suspect human trafficking, please call:
Florida DCF Abuse Hotline: 1 (800) 962-2873 or National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1 (888) 373-7888
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With your support, the Open Doors Outreach Network will be able to provide more services to these victims. The sexual exploitation of our children is happening right now, as you read this appeal. Please consider making a donation today. Contributions of any amount will make a difference.
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