VERY IMPORTANT UPDATE: House of Engedi has officially merged with Compassion First! We are writing to update you on some significant changes for our young organization. First, we feel very blessed to be members of this work; not only as House of Engedi, but also as part of a broader anti-trafficking community that is bringing all that they have to the table to help those in need. Second, we only need to look to the incredible people who have come alongside us in this effort to realize fully that God is in it; knowing that He is, makes us all the more thankful for those involved in our early efforts. Significant differences regarding vision for the future — what we would become and how we would operate — including whether or not our founder would have a future with the organization she started less than two years ago, led us to make some big decisions in the last few weeks. Given the fact that we were still very much in a visionary phase (even with a small operation started), we felt the need to restore our Founding Board of Directors. We did so on Friday, August 15th. An important part of our story has been our friendship with Compassion First, an Oregon-based non-profit doing global anti-trafficking work which includes aftercare, legal advocacy, law enforcement training, and intervention support. Well before we filed our Articles with the State of Oregon, we sat in a Corvallis coffee shop with Compassion First leadership and laid out our dreams for the future. They promised at that time to help us with any resources they had. And they did. They participated directly in the care of our earliest survivors and were always a phone call away for anything we needed. We have enjoyed the privilege of serving them as well. On Friday, August 22nd, we gathered as a board to make several very difficult decisions about our future. August 15th was the first time any of us had been in the shelter for several months. This visit, among a number of additional factors led us to the decision of pausing our care facility operations until we have adequate regular funding to hire and train a full professional staff and provide frontline care. As of today, the two residents in our care and one non-resident have all received funded placement in wonderfully equipped programs elsewhere, and all are very excited for the opportunity to continue their recovery. As a board, we wanted to acknowledge the work of Liz Alston and a cadre of volunteers who have done unprecedented work toward the recovery of the women in our care. Even as we have communicated with our peers about what has been accomplished on behalf of our residents, it is acknowledged by all that it is extraordinary to achieve what we have with nothing but dedicated volunteers and supporters. We have enjoyed a very special relationship with key local churches who have treated this ministry as their own. Without their partnership, the outcome of our investment would surely have been different. Pursuant of several operational steps that we believe will lead to a bright future for House of Engedi, we have concluded that, to pursue the dream of this ministry, we need a greater covering. For that reason, we have decided to become a part of the Compassion First family. By doing so, we gain the strength of an established organization, are equipped to secure leadership that will allow us to better serve those who enter into our care, and our supporters alike. More than anything, Compassion First embodies who we are in character and care for others. It is a love first, love always environment that we are deeply thankful to be a part of. Undoubtedly, these changes will generate a lot of questions. We hope to answer as many as we can through this communication but also want you to know that each of us are available to meet and talk through both our story and our future. We would be grateful to have that time with you. For now, we want to give you the following information: All current survivors in the Care of House of Engedi, both residential and non-residential, are being referred to partner agencies. It is our obligation to provide the best possible care for each survivor. For now, this is placement in fully staffed facilities with more developed programs. As of today, all of the women in our care have received and/or are in the process of placement. House of Engedi will close for a season. We will spend the next months in preparation to re-open with healthier funding to support a fully staffed operation. We are hopeful that our flagship will remain in the mid-valley. All existing resources will remain with the House of Engedi. We are grateful for the amazing resources that we do have. These will stay with this ministry and in direct support and service to local survivors. We still need you! Even while we pause to further develop our residential care facility operation, we are privileged to expand into additional areas of local work, providing direct services to survivors in partnership with local law enforcement and accompanying agencies. Services will include immediate short-term wrap-around care, referral, and accompanied transportation to partnered long-term recovery facilities nationwide. We are particularly encouraged to be developing this piece because it will allow us to have a greater impact on more survivors commensurate with the development of an even more involved volunteer core. If you are interested in being involved in this effort, please contact Jeanette Argyle at [email protected]. In the next week, you will be receiving a letter from Sergeant Mike Geiger, the head of the anti-trafficking unit for the Portland Police Bureau. We have been grateful for Mikes friendship and support as he works with multiple local agencies in the course of his work. Again, if you would like to talk to any of us individually, we would be grateful for the opportunity. We are so thankful for you and look forward to a future of health and opportunity as we give our hearts to this work together. If you are interested in learning more about Compassion First, please visit compassionfirst.org. With love, The Founding Board of House of Engedi Jennifer Unangst Jeanette Argyle Lori Paul
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 23:04:02 +0000
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