On a beautiful spring morning, a small gathering of staff, board members, a survivor, and church partners, simultaneously pressed their shovels firmly into the hard-packed St. Augustine grass and broke ground. After months of planning, our Safe House Expansion Project has officially begun. From a construction standpoint, the groundbreaking is purely a symbolic gesture, but the statement, “Poiema is enhancing the level of trauma-informed care for survivors of human trafficking” speaks volumes. The ground is broken for a new foundation. It’s time to build!

Our Safe House has a beautiful story that began when the Poiema Foundation was launched in 2012. Rebecca Jowers had a vision to help trafficked survivors by providing a safe place where their healing journey could begin. This vision became a reality when a home was donated to Poiema. Surprised by such a generous offer, Rebecca asked the donor if there was a balance due on the house note and she responded, “Paid in full! Don’t you love those words Jesus gave us?”

The Safe House Expansion Project includes adding four bedrooms and bathrooms, a community room, and a covered patio. This addition allows us to remodel the existing home, providing a much-needed onsite office for staff, a spare bedroom for respite care, and a larger dining area.

God has done immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine by blessing Poiema with the funds for construction costs! We would love for you to be a part of this exciting journey in caring well for survivors of human trafficking. Invitations to supply furnishings, décor, and artwork for the new addition will be announced soon. Poiema staff plans to meet with an interior designer later this month.

You may contact Rod Vestal at rod@poiemafoundation.org to discuss donation opportunities. There are many ways to help! One Life Group from a partner church responded with excitement stating, “We will furnish a room!”

Thank you for being a part of the Poiema family and our humbling journey. This project is only possible because God stirred the hearts of our generous champions, volunteers, partners, and Board of Directors to step up and serve. We build better together!