Project 2 Restore Inc

The Project 2 Restore is a state of the art restoration house provides a safe and healing environment to help victims gain new independence and hope for the future. The restoration house is the place where the lives of survivors of sex trafficking will be rebuilt, and it’s also the place in our community that will radiate out new understanding and momentum for change in Topeka. Community engagement and education is crucial to the success of the Restoration house.

One of the goals of Project 2 Restore goals and the Shawnee County Human Trafficking Coalition is for the community to be so educated and proactive about the issue that traffickers avoid our city and region because they can’t be successful here.

We educate on the how and why human trafficking happens, so that our community will actively engage and invest in the lives of vulnerable individuals so much that risk factors decrease substantially, and there is no longer a need for restoration houses. This may be a lofty goal as human trafficking is the third largest criminal enterprise next to drugs and weapons.

There are three phases each resident will progress through during her time at the restoration house. Each resident will have ongoing assessments each week throughout all three phases. Individual care plans will be constantly adjusted by the CARE team (consisting of Program Director, Case Manager, House Manager) and refocused depending on the needs of the resident.

Stabilization Phase Around 0- 3 months
The goal of the stabilization phase is to help residents progress from suffering to a sense of safety. This phase is all about helping the survivor experience a difference from what she’s known in the past. Structure and boundaries that advance her perception of safety are very important in this phase. The program director and case manager will provide leadership, guidance, and resources to help establish and grow the survivor’s sense of safety.

Self-Sufficiency Phase Around 3-9 months
With a sense of safety in place and continuing to grow, residents will start to stand on their own two feet by learning life skills, gaining an understanding of the dynamics of power, and establishing employment goals. The program director and case manager will help provide customized support through qualified partners & community resources to help survivors move from dependence to independence during this phase and beyond.

Independence Phase Begins Around 9 Months and Continues Through Graduation
As residents realize self-sufficiency, they can begin to think about the rest of their lives and how to rediscover dreams and work to achieve them. It is during this phase that Survivors often refer to themselves as Overcomers. The focus during this area lies mainly within personal achievements, academics, and readiness for a career. The program director and case manager will help them continue developing life skills and equipping them for re-entry into society with an understanding of the value of belonging and intimacy.

After Graduation
Through our mentorship program at The Samaritan Women, we have been introduced to another phase called a Graduation House. This is a home where residents who have graduated can choose to live for a short period of time. The Graduation House would be a safe transition house where residents would be responsible for their own rent and a portion of expenses. It is designed to launch them into complete independence, allowing them time to build savings and acquire safe housing of their own. During this time they would still have access to the P2R community resources they have been accustomed to, such as their mentors and staff support. The focus is to learn to live in fearless freedom and walk into a sustainable future for themselves. As Project 2 Restore successfully launches we will be praying about this as a part of our program in the near future.

Project 2 Restore is equipped to fulfill its mission to provide survivors support for spiritual, mental, and physical healing and access to vocational and educational opportunities.

Our executive director, live in house manager, development director and two members of our board are engaged in a three year in-person training program learning best practices and receiving mentorship from The Samaritan Women Institute For Shelter Care (TSW). This training was on location in Baltimore, MD but will also be accessible through a web based Learn Upon Program that’s available for all future staff.

In addition, our Program Director and Case Manager will participate in final 40 hour in-person training along with all other staff covering resident intakes and exits. This will be held at the Project 2 Restore home in January 2022 with leadership from The Samaritan Women.

The mentorship provided by The Samaritan Women is a one-of-a-kind tool for providing the best care for residents. The training has provided Project 2 Restore the knowledge to overcome challenges faced by restoration houses, such as staffing issues, financial stability, lack of programming, and leadership. The highly experienced mentorship and programming provided by The Samaritan Women is custom designed to increase the stability and effectiveness of organizations exactly like ours.

Several members of our 2021 mentorship cohort at The Samaritan Women are survivors of sex trafficking. Their insight has been valuable for helping us understand the needs of residents through a survivor informed lens. Additionally, a member of our leadership team is a survivor of human trafficking. P2R values their input and perspective as survivors.

Another aspect of our capacity that is important to know is the strong base of community and financial support already in place. Project 2 Restore was the recipient of $364,000 as part of a Christmas charity drive through Topeka Bible Church. This provided P2R seed money to begin hiring staff and preparing for residents. Project 2 Restore was also one of five recipients to be awarded a scholarship for 2021 by The Samaritan Women Legacy Fund that paid for us to attend the training in Baltimore.

Project 2 Restore also received a gift of a house instead of having to purchase it, and has been renovating it into a home for the survivors with gifts from local contractors and professional handyman services.