Amanda’s Story: “Through it all she experienced the love of God.”

Dear Friend,

As I read Amanda’s words and shared the pictures she had sent with our staff, I was overcome with emotion. We all were. As a survivor of human trafficking, for Amanda to be able to celebrate Christmas with her young daughter – in their own place – was something she had only dreamed of. As a single mother struggling to juggle all the expenses of starting over, she didn’t know how she would be able to afford to make Christmas special for her child. So she reached out to The No More Foundation, and because of the generosity of people like YOU, she found the love and support she needed and she and her daughter had the most special Christmas ever.

We don’t take moments like this lightly, because we know her story.

Being born into a family of six kids with two addicts as parents was not easy. From the very beginning, the odds were stacked against her. Moving from home to home having no stability was the norm. By 12 years old, she was bouncing in and out of the foster care system – running away every chance she got. People who said they were willing to help her became the monsters who would exploit her. Before the age of 18, she had two children and lost them to the system as her parental rights were taken away. Amanda was trafficked for over a decade. She felt unwanted, unloved, unseen, unheard, and forgotten. When she was 34 years old, she found out that she was pregnant again and it was her daughter that became her reason to find a way to escape.

It was in a home for survivors of human trafficking that the seeds were planted that would lead Amanda to freedom. Later she would go on to find support through sober living, a home for single Moms, intensive outpatient treatment, AA meetings, and more. Through it all she experienced the love of God that transformed her from the inside out. He was not angry with her. He had not forgotten her. He never stopped pursuing her. He never gave up on her. Even when she was running, He was chasing after her, pursuing her heart and waiting for her to turn to Him and cast her burdens at His feet. He saw her in her brokenness and loved her anyway, and His love has helped her heal from the wounds of her past. 

Amanda’s story is one of resilience and hope – and it’s still being written. A little over two years clean, she has full custody of her daughter, works at a mental health clinic, and is currently in her first semester at St. Pete College for Human Services and Behavioral Sciences. Her dream is to use her degree to help other women coming out of human trafficking heal from the wreckage of the past.

THIS IS WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO!

The impact of a community that sees, cares, and supports is priceless – and not just at Christmas, but ALL YEAR LONG!

Amanda’s road to recovery and healing would not have been possible without the support of people like you! Sadly, there are more women in our community who need our help. With your continued financial support, we are poised to make an even bigger impact. Thanks to a generous ministry partner, we have a $25,000 dollar for dollar match on the table! Every dollar raised by 11:59 p.m. EST on December 31, 2024 will be doubled. Turn your $25 into $50, $100 into $200, $1,000 into $2,000. We need your help now so we can take advantage of the full match. We don’t want to lose any of this funding so make your gift today at declarenomore.com/donate.

We are incredibly grateful for your continued support and please know that our entire team is keeping you in prayer during this holiday season.

With heartfelt thanks,

“We boast in the hope of the glory of God – we also celebrate – because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

— Romans 5:2-5