A Word from Mark
Dear Friends of WTLC,
December marks the end of the calendar year, and a time to pause and reflect on the months that have passed. I have so much to be proud of.

2019 marks a new era for us. After a period of reimagining the role of WTLC in our community through our strategic planning process, we have adopted a broader and clearer vision for us to become a premier trauma-informed care service provider for survivors of abuse. It is an honor for me to be part of a strong team and move this work forward.

The survivors in our programs have been at the forefront of our minds through all this change. We have expanded our Elder Abuse program by providing tailored services and becoming the lead agency of a collaborative, multi-disciplinary team. We implemented “tele-mental health” services by providing counseling sessions through webcam and the internet in an effort to remove barriers to services. And lastly, we continued to be the only domestic violence she lter in Orange County to accept those with pets into our housing program.

Also during this year, we’ve laid out the groundwork to pilot new research, thanks to investments from private funders such as The HealthCare Foundation for Orange County and partnerships with academic research departments from California State University, Fullerton and University of California, Irvine. For example, our state-of-the-art Sensory Room will soon be available as a new resource for survivors of trauma, designed to create a feeling of comfort and safety and to be used as part of their overall treatment plan. Our research into measuring the success of the survivors’ recovery process will allow us to understand how to effectively leverage unique and innovative program elements with existing programs to benefit survivors and their families.

2019 has been a great year for WTLC. I can’t wait to see what 2020 has in store for us!


With Appreciation,

Mark
Expanding Our Human Trafficking Prevention
2019 was a year of expansion for the Human Trafficking Program at WTLC. This past year we developed a new process that has helped streamline the way we provide services to survivors of human trafficking. Our staff continued to increase their knowledgebase with specialized trainings on the different aspects of working with human trafficking survivors.

We formed stronger partnerships in our community and due to our outreach efforts, facilitated presentations and trainings to schools, teachers, social workers and community resource centers on human trafficking and the signs of exploitation.
A huge thank you to everyone who helped make sure the holidays were special for those in our programs this year!

In November, Supervisor Doug Chaffee’s office gave survivors and their families the gift of a full Thanksgiving table through a donation of turkeys and side dishes.

On December 11 th , Journey Church, MDI, and the Fullerton Chapter of the NCL put on an amazing holiday party for shelter and community participants. After eating a delicious meal of homemade soup, chicken, and stuffed peppers, guests decorated cookies and stockings, listened to joyful music, and had the opportunity to meet Santa himself! Each child picked out a toy to take home with them, and the adults received gift cards so they can treat themselves this holiday season.

And finally, in the past couple of months, countless friends throughout the community donated toys, food, clothing, gift cards, and presents to help make sure every person in our programs could have a magical holiday season. Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness and generosity to the survivors in our community—it makes all the difference.
Looking for a New Year’s Resolution you’re guaranteed to keep? Make a commitment to ending the cycle of violence by starting your monthly donations today! Just choose your donation amount, select “Recurring Donation,” and sit back, relax, and watch yourself meet your resolution goal every month! 
Save the date, or more like the month, of January to honor National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. During January, we will have ways for you to raise awareness about human trafficking, share your heart for the cause with friends, and take steps to end this injustice once and for all. Here are a few ways you can get involved:

  1. Submit a film to our Human Trafficking Prevention month contest and win a prize. More details here.
  2. Invite WTLC to your next event to get involved. Email [email protected] to request a speaker today!
  3. Speak Up! If you or a friend are being exploited, called WTLC’s Helpline at 1-877-531-5522 or email [email protected] for resources on how to get help.
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