THANK YOU for assisting our mission to support, empower, and provide services to trafficked, exploited, and at-risk youth this year. 2024 has been a great year at GRACE. Because of your generosity, we were able to impact the lives of so many worthy youth and even their children. This year we had group attendance of 904 in our after-school programs and also provided 910 warm meals. Transportation is the number one barrier to services and we were able to provide than 700 rides through our GRACE Wheels program. It is so exciting how each year we grow in capacity to serve more youth and meet more individual needs!
Impactful Survivor Stories and Support
Impactful Survivor Stories and Support
- Supported a youth with her EMT school by providing her custom uniform for her program – she has now graduated and gotten a job!
- Getting a young mom with two kids into safe temporary shelter while continuing to assist with housing resources and groceries – she will be moving into her first new apartment after Christmas!
- Connecting a survivor mentor to current G.R.A.C.E. youth to empower them and teach them how to become resilient
- Continuing to support a survivor in her rehabilitation journey as she seeks to be a better mom for her daughter
- Ongoing mentorship for each of our youth to help with decision making, confidence, and provide them a support system
In addition to our GRACE Creatives and GRACE University programs, we launched our first GRACE Empower Group Therapy program to provide the youth with a healing space with licensed therapists.
“Doing group therapy has helped me realize that I am not alone when I hear the other girls’ experiences.”
We love partnering with other organizations to create a larger impact which is why we also partner with the San Diego Youth Services ICARE program and The Well Community for Women.
“I am grateful for the community, the support, and constant reminder to give myself literal Grace! I am grateful for childcare for my daughter during group and being cared for by people that barely know me.”
Aiding our youth in recovery goes far beyond our after-school programs. With the support of our sponsors and your generous giving, we were able to meet their gap needs including emergency situations:
- 1 Host Home family for a youth dealing with unstable housing
- Groceries for 20 at-risk youth, survivors and their children
- Livescan fee for a survivor to get her first job in childcare
- Drivers Ed classes for 10 youth
- Apartment furnishings for 2 youth
- A prom ticket and formal dresses
- Baby gear and new mom supplies for 4 survivors
- Diapers and wipes for 6 parenting survivors
- Weekly childcare for young GRACE moms
- College application fee and re-enrollment fee for 2 survivors
- 2 laptops to survivors re-enrolling in school
- Job assistance for 10 youth
- Backpacks filled with supplies for back-to-school to 50 at-risk kids
- Nutrition classes along with individual coaching (Thank you Stephania!)
- A stocked pantry full of food, clothing, toiletries, and incentives (Thank you Submerge Church and STAT! Soroptomist Club)
- Special hygiene + self care kits for homeless youth
- A Galentines Celebration (Thank you New Break Ocean Beach)
- 100 Period Menstrual Kits (Thank you Period. Cyclical Care and Dignity for All)
- Thanksgiving & Christmas Celebrations (Thank you Newbreak Church, OB 1 Church and volunteers)
- Christmas Wishlist presents and stockings
- Outings to the pumpkin patch, bowling, movie theater, ceramic painting, ice skating, and more!
Thank you Mission Beach Womens Club for hosting fundraisers for GRACE this year!
We also hosted our 6th Annual RISE ABOVE Benefit at the Mission Beach Women’s Club with Travel by Becks, Submerge Church, Brockman Family & Friends, Airhawk International, Salt & Rind, San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians Domestic Violence/Family Resource Center, Frontline Medical, Lorimar Group, FIX Medical Group, Stephania Rene Personal Training, Saltry Kitchen, Gratsi Wine, Burning Beard Brewery, Juneshine, Cravory Cookies, Havyn Candles, and Marqueza Wine Bar as our sponsors!
Check out the photos taken by Jena Willard Photography HERE and be sure to join us next year!
We are incredibly blessed to have had such an impactful year and with your support we hope to make an even bigger difference next year! There is still time to make your end-of-year tax-deductible donation for 2024. Click HERE to make a one-time donation with a lasting impact on the lives of these vulnerable yet worthy youth.
Don’t miss out on your exclusive GRACE + Havyn candle when you become a monthly donor in 2025! https://givebutter.com/
Thank you again for your support over the last 7 years. We look forward to partnering with you again next year. Have a blessed New Year!
The G.R.A.C.E. Team
Girls Rising Above Child Exploitation Inc