December 2018
LovedIn co-founders Audrey Blackwell, Susan Noviello and Sheryl Dougherty.
A Life That's Yet to Live

Each week when the LovedIn team enters the perpetual darkness of the windowless adult entertainment club in Eastern Connecticut, a sliver of light cuts through. The team has one goal in mind: to bring hope, help and love to a population that is often overlooked and deeply hurting.

Three years ago, Audrey Blackwell, Susan Noviello and Sheryl Dougherty set out to do something more than simply raise awareness about the growing issue of sex trafficking in Connecticut. What resulted was the founding of LovedIn, an outreach of Kainos Life Ministries .

“We all had it on our hearts,” shared Noviello. “We know sex trafficking is prevalent around the world but we wanted to learn more about what was happening here in our own backyard and do something about it. We learned that sex industries are a major gateway to those who are trafficked in Connecticut.”

After two years of prayerful consideration, significant research and specialized training, they first stepped foot into the club.

“I was ready to go in long before we actually went in,” shared Dougherty. “But, it was really good that I didn’t do that because of the things I learned along the way about loving somebody, meeting them where they are at and being able to talk to them and help them right where they are.”

With approval from the club’s management, Noviello, Blackwell, Doughtery and their team of volunteers began visiting women employed by the club, bringing them gifts and home-cooked meals while...
“To see the smiles on their faces, to get the hugs and hear ‘I love you’ and know that we are some of the only support that these girls have is hard. And it’s messy. But, God always continues to open up a door. It’s worth it and they’re worth it. They are worth the time and effort.”

- Susan Noviello, LovedIn co-founder
Congratulations,
Grant Recipients!

Congratulations to  Building Healthy Families ,  Caring Families Pregnancy Services and South Congregational Church (Tree of Life Ministries) , who were recently awarded Urban Alliance grant funding through Urban Alliance's Thrive and Beyond the Basics Initiatives.

Funding will aid Building Healthy Families in developing a BrightStart for Families Toolkit, which will include curriculum for parents and caregivers, materials for training volunteers and an implementation guide. BrightStart for Families is an attachment-informed class for parents and other caregivers aimed at raising the capacity of adults to provide responsive parenting.

Grant funding will allow Caring Families Pregnancy Services and South Congregational Church to purchase supplies to support their case management services. 

For more information about Thrive, click the button below or contact  Rosaicela Rodriguez , UA's Director of Implementation,  Children &Youth Initiatives .

For more information about Beyond the Basics, click here or contact  Angela Colantonio , UA's Director of Implementation,  Health & Basic Needs Initiatives .
Thank You for Your Support!

Thank you to the 16 generous donors who contributed $1,250 to Urban Alliance for #GivingTuesday!

These funds will help equip a network of Christian churches and organizations to serve the community so that people who face challenges to meeting their needs will experience hope and help for a positive future.

Your gifts will be matched 1:1 until December 31 , so click the button below to make an impact today!
Make a Difference in a Child's Life With Just a Few Hours a Week

Do you enjoy working with children and helping them succeed? Are you available one afternoon a week?

Consider  volunteering as an after-school program tutor  and provide emotional encouragement to children and youth, help them with their homework, and assist with the overall program.

Click the button below or contact  Rosa McGuire , UA's Volunteer Manager, for more information about this opportunity.