The Laker/Lutz News

Bridging Freedom

Avalon Park Applauds the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel

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Congratulations to the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel for being applauded by Avalon Park Wesley Chapel.

This nonprofit organization helps support local and international causes. The club has helped raise money for high school seniors, first responders, families in need, and even an ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) park in Wesley Chapel.

The Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel has committed to devoting its efforts over the next three years to raise $500,000 to build a therapeutic home at the Bridging Freedom campus for young girls who are victims of sex trafficking.

According to the club’s website, the Bridging Freedom campus is at a secure location in the Tampa area, and it has approval for a total of seven homes. Two of these homes have already been built with the support of the Lazy Days Employee Foundation and the Chuck Sykes Foundation. The club’s goal is that the Rotary House will be the third home.

“Raising money for the home is a huge project. But when the club heard about the human trafficking issue, we made it our mission,”  says Charane Groeller, current president of the Rotary club.

If you or someone you know is a roofer, electrician, plumber, landscaper, and/or general contractor, or has building materials, Groeller encourages you to reach out to the Rotary club to donate your time/services for this project.

The main way the Rotary club is able to help support organizations like Bridging Freedom is through fundraising events.

The club’s next big event is at the sixth annual Pasco Blues Fest Benefit Concert, which is happening this Saturday, March 12, from noon to 8 p.m., at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. Tickets are $20 at the gate, and 100% of the profits will go to the fundraising of the therapeutic home for sex-trafficking victims.

The Rotary club meets every Wednesday at Lexington Oaks, in Wesley Chapel, at noon. Meetings usually last about an hour and a half. The club currently has 78 members.

“We are a fun and vibrant club,” says Groeller. “We have bankers, realtors, insurance agents, accountants and lawyers just to name a few. We all get along pretty well. I think it’s because we all have one mission: to help the community.”

Groeller welcomes anyone interested to join. There is an application fee and quarterly dues.

For more information, go to WCRotary.com, email , or call 813- 493-1329.

Pasco gains state funding for wide assortment of projects

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Initially, things were looking pretty bleak on the state fiscal front — before the last session of the Florida Legislature.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey recalled some previous remarks from the county’s state lobbyist, Shawn Foster, of Sunrise Consulting.

“Before session started, you were like: ‘This is going to be a really bad session. We’re going to be billions of dollars in the hole,’” Starkey said, during the Pasco County Commission’s June 22 meeting.

Foster said that was before the dollars that came in from the America Rescue Act.

Nearly 10% of the state’s $101.5 billion came from the federal government, Foster said.

“If it had not been for that $10 billion that we got from the federal government, there would be no good here. There would be no good,” Foster said.

Without the federal money, he added: “There would be none of these projects on here, none of these other big grants.”

Instead, “the state took $7 billion of the American Rescue Act and implemented it into this year and held off another $3 billion for the next budget,” Foster said.

Instead of being decimated, the statewide budget includes:

  • $1 billion for community substance abuse and mental health
  • $3.2 million for homeless program challenge grants
  • $500 million for the Resilient Florida Trust Fund and programs
  • $626 million for septic to sewer and stormwater improvements
  • $146.7 million for the State Housing Initiative Partnership program
  • $74 million for the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund, including $24 million from last year
  • $1.5 billion in the Emergency Rental Assistance Program

The county can apply directly for funding through the Septic to Sewer/Stormwater Improvement program, Foster said.

“That was our Sen. (Wilton) Simpson’s priority and has been for years. I think it started with an idea a few years ago; it was $50 million. So, to see it up to $626 (million) is amazing.”

The lobbyist also noted that the Emergency Rental Assistance Program is one in which constituents can make direct applications, through OurFlorida.com.

Three Pasco County projects also went through to the governor.

Those were:

  • $6.5 million for the Handcart Road water and wastewater improvements
  • $200,000 for the Ackerman Street drainage improvements
  • $3,818,208 for the Lindrick sewer and water quality

“The county as a whole, really did well,” said Ralph Lair, the county’s intergovernmental affairs officer.

Other county projects receiving funding were:

  • $3 million to extend the runway at Zephyrhills Municipal Airport
  • $4,665,000 for the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center in Zephyrhills
  • $25 million for a Florida National Guard Armory in Zephyrhills
  • $1.25 million for a CARES One-Stop Senior Center in Dade City
  • $450,000 for AmSkills Workforce Training
  • $25 million for a Pasco-Hernando State College student success and community engagement center in Dade City
  • $34,738 for a Pasco Association of Challenged Kids Summer Camp
  • $5 million for Metropolitan Ministries to expand its campus in Pasco County
  • $700,000 for Bridging Freedom Program in Pasco County

While Commissioner Mike Moore expressed gratitude for this year’s appropriations, he said the county needs to focus on securing funding to address flooding issues in areas such as Quail Hollow and around Eiland Boulevard.

“That needs to be a big focus, going forward,” Moore said. “Those are very important. Those affect our citizens on a day-to-day basis,” he said.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey said she’d like to follow the Pinellas County Commission’s example of meeting with their county legislative delegation and with their federal legislative delegation.

She wants Pasco to be more proactive in seeking state and federal funding to help address county needs.

Foster expressed optimism about the state’s revenue prospects for next year.

Committee meetings will begin in the fall, and the next session of the legislature is set to start Jan. 11 and end on March 11.

Published July 07, 2021

Bridging Freedom is charity of the month

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Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano has named Bridging Freedom, an organization dedicated to ending human trafficking and assisting survivors of that crime, as its charity for the month of January.

Bridging Freedom aims to combat sex-trafficking of minors by bringing restoration to those who have been rescued. And, the organization educates the community and works with partners to increase awareness of this “pervasive and often ‘invisible’ criminal operation,” according to a news release.

During the month of January, all tax collector office locations will be accepting donations to help Bridging Freedom in its mission to assist as many victims as possible, and to educate the public, local businesses and others about the importance of recognizing human trafficking for the crime it is.

“Children, both girls and boys, have their childhoods stolen from them by traffickers and buyers. Bridging Freedom, a safe campus, restores those stolen childhoods with a safe environment, therapy, life skills and a caring community,” Alan Wilkett, retired Pasco Sheriff’s law enforcement officer, said in the release.

For information about Bridging Freedom and its services, contact Wilkett at 813-474-4673.

For more about the tax collector’s charitable campaigns, call Assistant Tax Collector Greg Giordano at 727-847-8179.

Event raises awareness about human trafficking

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The third annual Light Up the Night Awareness event was more than just the glimmer of candles.

It radiated hope, for many.

The beautiful, clear cool weather attracted a large gathering to help support victims of human trafficking, domestic violence, and drug abuse.

The event began at 4:30 p.m. with the 5K run and 1-mile walk/run at the Porter Campus of Pasco-Hernando State College, with 314 participants.

Ceremonies then moved to the upper deck of the parking garage at The Shops at Wiregrass, where inspirational speakers, musicians, vendors, activities and entertainment for all ages.

Awards were presented to a number of organizations, including Bridging Freedom, Healing Root Ministry, Justice Restoration Center, Loving You Where You Are At, and Redefining Refuge.

Ceremonies concluded with a candlelight vigil.

By Randy Underhill

Published January 24, 2018

Three-year-old Olivia Luna, of New Port Richey, is held by her mother Veronica, as the little girl pets a therapy horse owned by Julie Shematz, from Beauty from Ashes Ministries. Olivia’s dad, Alan, watches as his daughter pets the horse. (Randy Underhill)
Jennifer McGill, a Nashville recording artist, performs ‘Unbreakable’ for the large crowd on a cool pleasant evening for the Light Up the Night awareness event on Jan. 20.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edie Rhea, a survivor of abuse, addresses a crowd at Pasco-Hernando State College before the 5K and 1-mile walk/run. She was abused for a number of years, but survived and now heads Healing Root Ministry at First Baptist of Lutz.
Overflow performs as the opening act of Light Up the Night on Jan. 20.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sex-trafficked girls will soon have a sanctuary

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The Tampa charity Bridging Freedom, which helps child victims of human trafficking, is developing a therapeutic safe house campus community at an undisclosed location in Pasco County.

It will begin to accept girls this spring, once its first safe house is completed.

Laura Hamilton is the president of Bridging Freedom. She founded the organization in 2011 after working for a time with the Clearwater/Tampa Bay Area Task Force on Human Trafficking. (Kevin Weiss)

The Bridging Freedom campus— situated on nearly 100 acres of donated land—will ultimately encompass seven homes, a lodge and a chapel. It will serve dozens of female victims under the age of 18 from Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, by providing long-term, comprehensive survivor care.

The concept marks the first of its kind serving female minors in the Tampa area.

Construction of infrastructure at the campus site began in 2016. Assistance for the project has come from state funding, corporations, local law enforcement and other stakeholders.

Two homes have since been sponsored and are currently being built.

The first therapeutic home—funded by Sykes Enterprises—will feature eight individual bedrooms and bathrooms, plus an educational room, counseling room, and a staff and nurse office.

A second four-bedroom home — funded by Lazydays R.V. Center Inc. — will serve as the intake home for girls rescued from sex trafficking.

Bridging Freedom is seeking sponsors to build the five remaining homes, either from corporate or philanthropic organizations.

Girls will be referred to the property mainly through rescues by law enforcement and the Florida Department of Children and Families, said Laura Hamilton, president of Bridging Freedom.

There’s no doubt about the need.

Florida reports as the third-largest state for human trafficking, with 329 reported cases in 2017, according to the Polaris Project and National Human Trafficking Hotline.

Locally, the Tampa FBI rescues approximately 50 or more child sex-trafficking victims per year; most of them are girls.

The nearly 100-acre Bridging Freedom campus will encompass seven homes, a lodge and a chapel. It will serve dozens of female victims under the age of 18 from Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, by providing long-term, comprehensive survivor care. (Courtesy of Bridging Freedom)

Few rehabilitative facilities are available to place them, however.

Rescued girls are either placed in runaway shelters, domestic violence shelters or foster care — with little to no rehabilitative treatment.

Hamilton founded Bridging Freedom in 2011 after working for a time with the Clearwater/Tampa Bay Area Task Force on Human Trafficking.

There she discovered when children and teens were rescued from the street, there were no places for them to go for treatment and counseling, to ease their transition to normal lives.

“I started doing research, and that’s when I realized (child sex trafficking) wasn’t in just India, Cambodia, Thailand, Russia. It was here in the United States, it was here in Florida and here in my own backyard,” Hamilton said.

“We thought we were just bringing awareness to the community; we never thought we’d be doing this,” she added.

Bridging Freedom will specifically address what’s called ‘traumatic bonding,’ where children have bonded with their trafficker or abuser.

Victim’s stays could last anywhere from six months to two years, as they get treatment one-on-one from professionally trained psychologists and social workers. Recurring funds already in place will be used to hire those direct service providers.

“It takes a whole program for these girls to find healing from the trauma they enforced,” Hamilton said.

“If she’s wanting to run, if she’s had a trigger, goes into some crisis mode, she gets scared or she becomes angry, we’re there, right there, one-on-one to track her. That’s what’s working in other parts of the country, and we need to bring that here to Florida.”

At the therapeutic safe home campus, survivors will also receive the following services:

  • Medical care from a clinical director, clinical therapists and licensed nurses
  • Alcohol and drug rehabilitation from licensed medical professionals
  • Therapeutic recreation, such as equine and art therapy, and gardening
  • Education from teachers board-certified through the Florida Department of Education
  • Life skills to help survivors adjust to life outside of the home
  • Career development and shadowing to prepare teen survivors to be independent adults
  • Transitional mentorship to provide support for survivors after they leave the home

Hamilton said Bridging Freedom’s safe house program is modeled after Wellspring Living, an Atlanta-based group founded in 2001. According to its website, Wellspring Living “provides trauma-informed care to survivors of Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking in the service of physical, emotional and spiritual restoration.”

Details on the progress of Bridging Freedom and its sanctuary campus were revealed at a Nov. 16 joint press conference at the Pasco Sheriff’s Office in New Port Richey. Guest speakers, among others, included attorney general Pam Bondi, Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco, Pasco Sheriff Cpl. Alan Wilkett and Irene Sullivan, a retired Florida circuit court judge.

Each praised the organization and the need for more safe house campuses.

“The demand is great for these homes; the supply is scarce,” said Sullivan, who for 12 years handled delinquency, dependency and domestic violence cases until retiring in 2010.

She added: “It’s a wonderful, wonderful opportunity to take care of these girls. They need therapy, they need to talk to other girls, and they certainly need Bridging Freedom…”

Wilkett is the commander of the Pasco County Human Trafficking Task Force. He also serves as chairman of the Board of Directors for Bridging Freedom.

In October, Wilkett was recognized as the “Law Enforcement Official of the Year” at the 2017 Human Trafficking Summit, held in Orlando

For him, the safe house campus community “can’t come together fast enough.”

“We’ve got a lot of work to do, with this horrific crime of human trafficking,” Wilkett said.

“Whether they’re domestic minor sex trafficking victims or national sex trafficking victims, we have a responsibility…to restoring childhood opportunities, birthdays and freedoms to those that have had it stolen.”

Fighting human trafficking long-term starts with harsher prison sentences for its consumers, Wilkett said.

“The only way to impact this strategically and long-term is to take out the demand,” he said, “so we’ve got to enhance the penalties and go after the buyers.”

Experts say the Tampa Bay area’s tourism, adult entertainment, and international seaport and airport industries create a lucrative and highly accessible environment for sex-traffickers.

Minor victims of sex trafficking, meanwhile, are typically kidnapped or have run away from home.

Florida has approximately 30,000 to 40,000 teenage runaways and throwaways each year, some being abused by a family member or forced out of their homes. In the Tampa Bay area, 75 percent of trafficked children are runaways.

Solving that issue takes a community working together, unafraid to report suspicious activity, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi said during the press conference.

“It has to be an all-hands on deck approach,” Bondi said. “We have to work together as a state, as a country, and transnationally as a world to stop this.”

For information, visit BridgingFreedom.org.

By the Numbers
300,000: On average, the number of children in the United States that are prostituted annually

12: The average age that a trafficked victim is first used for commercial sex

2,700: The number of child sex-trafficking victims rescued by the FBI in the U.S., the past 10 years

3: Florida’s rank for the number of calls received by the national human trafficking hotline

83 percent: The percentage of sex trafficking victims identified in the United States as U.S. citizens, according to a study of U.S. Department of Justice human trafficking task force cases

52: The approximate number of local child sex-trafficking victims rescued in 2015

Less than 250: How many shelter beds there are for commercially sexually exploited children in the U.S.

Source: Bridging Freedom

Published November 29, 2017