Breaking Free

TO END ALL FORMS OF PROSTITUTION AND SEX-TRAFFICKING.

PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING - OUR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROGRAM (PSH) IS PROVIDED IN TWO MASTER-LEASED BUILDINGS COLLECTIVELY CALLED "THE VILLAGE PLACE" APARTMENTS. THE BUILDINGS CONSIST OF 33 ONE AND TWO-BEDROOM UNITS IN SAINT PAUL. WE HAVE 22 TWO-BEDROOM APARTMENTS FOR WOMEN WITH CHILDREN, AND 11 ONE-BEDROOM UNITS FOR SINGLE ADULTS. IN ADDITION, BREAKING FREE PROVIDES SCATTERED-SITE SUBSIDIZED HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH HEARTH CONNECTION AND THE SECTION 8 VOUCHER PROGRAM. OUR HOUSING ADVOCATES ASSIST PARTICIPANTS WITH NAVIGATION TO ACCESS COMMUNITY SUPPORTS INCLUDING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, EMPLOYMENT RESOURCES, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, AND MENTAL HEALTH AND CHEMICAL HEALTH SERVICES. FOR RESIDENTS HOUSED AT VILLAGE PLACE DURING THE PAST YEAR, THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY IS 2 YEARS AND 8 MONTHS. BETWEEN OUR VARIOUS HOUSING PROGRAMS, WE CURRENTLY PROVIDE HOUSING TO A TOTAL OF 71 INDIVIDUALS INCLUDING CHILDREN. DURING 2021, BREAKING FREE PROVIDED SERVICES TO 33 HOUSEHOLDS IN OUR PSH HOUSING PROGRAM. THIS INCLUDED A TOTAL OF 35 ADULTS AND 32 CHILDREN. WE ALSO SERVED 7 HOUSEHOLDS VIA THE HEARTH CONNECTION PROGRAM. ADDITIONALLY, IN CALENDAR YEAR 2021 WE WERE ABLE TO SUPPORT 17 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH OUR EMERGENCY SHELTER.

WOMEN'S PROGRAM: THIS IS THE CORE PROGRAM AND GATEWAY TO OTHER SERVICES PROVIDED BY BREAKING FREE. AFTER AN INITIAL INTAKE ASSESSMENT IS COMPLETED, A CASE MANAGEMENT PLAN IS ESTABLISHED AND ENACTED. WE PROVIDE ADVOCACY SERVICES TO OUR CLIENTS WHO ARE OFTEN DEALING WITH CONCURRING ISSUES OF POVERTY, HOMELESSNESS, DRUG ADDICTION, AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE, ALL OF WHICH NECESSITATES A HOLISTIC CASE MANAGEMENT APPROACH IN ORDER TO OVERCOME EACH OF THE BARRIERS. BREAKING FREE STAFF PROVIDES INFORMATION AND REFERRALS TO APPROPRIATE SERVICES AND ADVOCATES ON BEHALF OF PARTICIPANTS WITH OTHER SYSTEMS AND AGENCIES. WE OFFER WEEKLY IN-HOUSE EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT GROUPS FACILITATED BY BREAKING FREE STAFF. THIS GROUP IS CALLED SISTERS OF SURVIVAL (SOS) AND IT'S A 14-WEEK, INTENSIVE EDUCATION GROUP THAT EXAMINES SEX TRAFFICKING AS A SLAVE-BASED SYSTEM, ASSESSES THE IMPACT IT HAS HAD ON THEIR LIVES, AND COVERS ISSUES RELATED TO ADDICTION AND RECOVERY. THESE GROUPS PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE DYNAMICS OF SEX TRAFFICKING AND OTHER FORMS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS AND OFFER A SPACE FOR WOMEN TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES. UPON GRADUATION FROM THE SOS PROGRAM, SURVIVORS ARE ENCOURAGED TO JOIN THE ALUMNI SUPPORT GROUP. THIS PROGRAM INVOLVES WEEKLY, ONGOING GROUP MEETINGS WITH TOPICS INCLUDING RELATIONSHIP ISSUES, BUILDING SELF-ESTEEM, MONEY MANAGEMENT, PARENTING SKILLS, HEALTH CARE, VOLUNTEERING ENDEAVORS, AND GUIDED TOPIC POINTS. WE ALSO OFFER ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING SUCH AS ART THERAPY, COMPUTER LITERACY, AND INDIVIDUALIZED LIFE SKILL JOB SKILLS CLASS. WE FOCUS ON EMPOWERMENT OF OUR LADIES AND IN ADDITION TO ALUMNI, WE OFFER SEVERAL WAYS TO BUILD LIFE, SOCIAL, AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS. WE HAVE A WRITER'S BUREAU AND SPEAKER'S BUREAU TO INCREASE HEALING THROUGH FACTORING IN TRANSFERABLE SKILLS AND LEARNING NEW SKILLS. IN 2018 WE STARTED A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE ARM SO THAT OUR SURVIVORS CAN CREATE JEWELRY FOR SALE AND OUR CLIENTS KEEP THE PROCEEDS.

OUTREACH - BREAKING FREE CURRENTLY PARTICIPATES IN TWO DIFFERENT ANTI-TRAFFICKING STREET OUTREACH INITIATIVES. OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS COVER RAMSEY COUNTY AS WELL AS THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. OUR RAMSEY COUNTY PROJECT INVOLVES SEVERAL COMMUNITY PARTNERS INCLUDING THE RAMSEY COUNTY HOMELESS RESPONSE TEAM. OUR CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS PROGRAM IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH 3 OTHER COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS THE MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT. TO DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS WITH CLIENTS ON THE STREETS, OUR OUTREACH TEAM DISTRIBUTES BASIC NEEDS AND HYGIENE SUPPLIES, AS WELL AS BASIC FOOD RESOURCES. THE GOAL OF OUR OUTREACH SERVICES IS TO CONNECT VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE PRIMARILY OUT ON THE STREETS WITH ACCESS TO RESOURCES, STABILIZATION SERVICES, AND HOUSING.