Our Mission
The mission of Raise My Head Foundation is to provide a safe residence for women who have been sex trafficked. We provide trauma informed, strength based support services that promote healing, restoration, recovery and growth.
Who We Are
Our Story
Here in Kansas, we draw our inspiration from the sunflower, which lifts its head each day to the warmth of the sun’s rays. Our founder, Vicki Bond has instilled the message that LOVE IS GREATER. We provide unconditional love to all of our residents by walking alongside side as they heal, restore their voice, recover from their trauma and grow into their new life.
Stories of Healing
Carol
“I began the program on August 30, 2017, and I’ve been clean and sober for eight months. Currently, I’m taking classes at a local technical college to learn medical billing and coding, and I’m maintaining a B+ average. Raise My Head Foundation provides everything I need to further my education. They take me to school, they help me get to meetings and therapies, and they’re there to support me, 24/7. The love and encouragement I’ve received here, the hope they’ve given me, has helped me to succeed where I’ve failed before.
Any woman who really wants to change her life and become more positive, to know that she’s resilient and that her mistakes were just stepping stones to get to where she is now, would want to be in a place like this. It’s a two year program, but if you’ve walked in my shoes for a while, two years is nothing. I just got sick and tired of being sick and tired—of living without any hope or any future. I took my life into my own hands, and Raise My Head Foundation opened their door.
I’ve been here seven months, and these have been the best seven months of my life.”
Kristi
“When I went to treatment in January 2017, my counselor referred me to Raise My Head Foundation. I arrived in April of 2017, and my life has changed forever. On August 5, I’ll be two years clean and sober. Through Raise My Head Foundation, I’ve taken classes to further my education, and I’m finishing my high school diploma. I’m even helping start Raise My Head Foundation’s cottage industry, and I’m happy for a chance to use my skills and the education I’ve received here.
I am a survivor of any type of abuse you could think of. I sold myself for places to live, for a shower, for money. But Raise My Head Foundation has given me my hope back. It’s given me stability and a future. I’m overwhelmed by the love I’ve received from this community of people, people who aren’t even related to me, but who love me like I’m one of their biological family members. I’m excited to give back by sharing at speaking engagements and raising awareness to help other women find their way here, too.
If you want to experience unjudgmental, unconditional love, hope, a peace within yourself, and absolute healing, Raise My Head is the place for you.”
What We Do
What
Raise My Head provides a safe, structured two-year residential program for women over the age of eighteen who are breaking free from sex trafficking. The goal of the program is for these women to receive the services necessary for physical, emotional, and spiritual healing and renewal so that they are empowered to live a life of freedom and fulfillment.
How
Our program is based on a 1500-year-old Benedictine Rule of Life and modeled after our successful sister program in Nashville, Tennessee. We meet our residents’ physical needs by providing housing and food for the duration of the program, as well as medical and dental care. We help them heal from the abuses they have suffered by providing counseling and therapy. We are connected with community education and job training programs so that they feel empowered for a bright future. And, most importantly, we support them in coming to the understanding that they are loved, valued and worthy.
All of this is done entirely through the support of our generous donors. We receive no government funding, and the women who heal here will never be charged a penny for our services.
Future Plans
Our current facilities allow us to serve up to eight women at a time, with two women per bedroom. Our short-term goals include building awareness, financial support and volunteer involvement. Our long term goal would be to have a residence that had four – six bedrooms with a equal amount of bathrooms.
In the Fall of 2018, we launched an online social enterprise selling skincare. This social enterprise is set up to offer on site, job skill training that will help build resumes and promote future skills. We continue to look to expand our social enterprise to include partners in the community. Financial support is paramount to the future of this program.
