We have some very exciting news to share, and we wanted you to be the first to know!
As of January 4, 2021, Purchased, Inc will have a new name, a new website, and a brand new look.
As many of you know, when we got our start as a non-profit in 2011, our main goal was to raise awareness in our community about human trafficking. We had no idea when we were just starting out that we would grow and expand in so many ways over the next ten years!
We saw a need for prevention education for girls at-risk for trafficking in our community, so in 2014 we began implementing the My Life My Choice program. In 2015, our Allies mentorship program began to form as we desired to provide consistent relationships to the young ladies we were serving. As we engaged with these mentees, we desired to fill another gap in services with their families, so in 2017, the Thrive program was created to educate and support caregivers of trafficked youth. Since then, we’ve launched a job training program for mentees, a pen pal program, and maintained our presence in the community providing education, awareness and engagement in the anti-trafficking movement.
As you can see, our mission has grown and expanded in some incredible ways in the last decade!
Over the past couple of years as we have interacted more closely with the girls and families we are honored to serve, we have continued to receive feedback that our name, Purchased, is a word that often is associated with the traumatic past of the individuals we work with. While this was not our intention when we named ourselves in 2008, we have since ventured into new areas of service and recognize that this word can be harmful to those we are seeking to walk alongside.
The heartbeat of our organization is relationships and working to help bring light, hope and a path forward for those affected by trafficking. As we reflected on this, we came to the conclusion that “Purchased” no longer fully represented who we are. So, in honor of the remarkable girls we serve, we have undergone the task of renaming and rebranding our organization. Be assured – our programs, impact and core values will remain the same! We look forward to living into this new name for the next ten years and beyond!
Be on the lookout for more information coming soon, and an official announcement the first week of January. If you have any questions or would like more information on the work you are helping us accomplish, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
Thank you for continuing to link arms with us as we fight human trafficking and empower survivors together.
Gratefully,
Jessica Evans
Founder & Director