Program areas at Magdalene Omaha
Residential services: in 2023, Magdalene Omaha supported 217 survivors of sex trafficking (unique individuals), the highest number of people we served in one year. All these individuals gained support through our new beginnings campus, discussed below. Twelve women entered our sober living house, which we opened in 2017. Our residential recovery community provides comprehensive support to adult women who survived sex trafficking and who have an addiction. Residents are offered up to two years of safe, sober, rent-free housing in a peer support community. Of those who completed the orientation phase in our residential program:- 94% restored healthy family relationships;- 82% have had no new arrests (low recidivism); and- 59% maintained continuous long-term sobriety of one year or more.
Workforce development: in 2018, to provide residents with the skills they needed to enter the workforce and build their own economic freedom, we opened our own survivor-led small business, thistle lights. Residents must complete the rigorous job readiness certificate training we offer, open to survivors community-wide, before they may apply for a short-term job training position at thistle lights. To increase the job training hours and skill development available for survivors, we acquired voila, a flower shop that became known as voila Magdalene blooms. In february 2023, we donated voila to the heart ministry center, a non-profit corporation. We instead support residents in moving into individualized career paths that match their personal career goals after they complete their job training experience at thistle lights.
New beginnings campus: in 2019, we opened our new beginnings campus to offer support to survivors community-wide through this non-residential setting. We offer high-quality programming through our five pathways to healing for survivors to learn life and coping skills as they overcome trauma and addiction. We also took this programming into douglas county corrections, which grew the size of the survivor community we serve. At our Magdalene Omaha community center, we also offer peer support groups, fun sober activities, success navigation services, shower and laundry facilities, transportation services (including for mental health and medical appointments), and a personal items pantry.