Wednesday, April 29 is Denim Day. Under normal circumstances, we would be holding our largest event of the year. We were so excited to share all the new and wonderful things we have planned for this year. We had switched to an evening time slot. We had 11 fabulous survivor models all set to walk the runway in fashions provided by Zappos, with hair and makeup done by generous volunteers from Kelly Cardenas Salon and the Academy of Hair Design.

You would have had the chance to hear in person about all the great work our staff and volunteers have done over the last year, including the launch of our R.I.S.E. (Resources and Integration for Survivor Empowerment) program supporting victims of human trafficking. We added services for our youngest victims, providing counseling to children as young as 4. In the first 3/4 of our fiscal year, every single area of our programs and services was serving increased numbers:

Hospital visits – Up 12%

Hotline calls – Up 4%

Hospitality Industry Professionals Trained in Prevention – up 70%

Children reached with Education and prevention programs – up 17%

Monthly support group participation – up 9%

Monthly individual counseling clients – up 42%

Monthly individual counseling hours – up 58%

Sadly, we are all in a very different situation, one that none of us could have envisioned a few months ago.

AND April 29 is still a global day to stand with survivors and show your support. We invite you to wear jeans wherever you are. Our clients need us now more than ever, and we need you now more than ever. We understand that many are struggling themselves right now. If you are, there are ways you can help without making a financial contribution. Through a generous gift from UnitedHealthcare, $10 will be donated for every post and tag with a picture of yourself in jeans (no faces necessary), every share of our Denim Day video, and every new like or follow on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Tag @thercclv and mention #denimday2020. If you can make a contribution at this time, we would greatly appreciate it. No gift is too small or too large, and every gift up to a total of $5,000 is being matched by Zappos. Every dollar will help us support clients – providing clothing at the hospital, rides to counseling and group sessions, relocation funds for clients moving to safer situations out of state, household items for clients being set-up in housing, food for clients struggling, and support for our counseling and mental health services. We may not be in the same room on Denim Day, but we are undoubtedly in this together. Thank you in advance for your ongoing support.