Slavery in our Midst

The amazing thing is slavery is happening today, in 2025, and all around us in our own community.

We tend to think of slavery or human trafficking as something from long ago or taking place in faraway lands. But it is happening in this century, this week, right here in Collier County. An organization whose mission is to help young girls who are survivors of sexual trafficking to recover and rejoin the “normal” community of everyday life. 

On Sunday, Ground Up Ministries held their first Freedom Festival at the Paradise Coast Sports Complex (PCSC), up Collier Blvd. from Marco Island. The event featured testimonies from survivors of abuse and trafficking, those who work to support its victims, as well as music, kids’ games, and a silent auction. Turnout was light, with just a few dozen people finding their way to the festival, but organizers were happy with the volunteer support and launching their new endeavor. 

Speakers included Rev. Vernestine Lias, founder and president of Jesus House International Ministries, spoke of her abuse, which came at the hands of her uncle, a Christian pastor and his wife, and led her into a downward spiral of drug dependency, incarceration, and losing custody of her children. Jennifer Tabora, founder of Two Girls and a Bible, also spoke of her work with young abuse survivors. Musical interludes were provided by Gary Huckleberry, the Sunset Dreamers, Acoustic Rhythm and Blues, and Leslie Cook. 

Also instrumental in producing the Freedom Festival were the group’s director of marketing and donor acquisitions, Jordann Brincku, and board member Lisa Ballantine, who also spoke at the event. 

The festival, said Ground Up Ministries executive director Jeff Schumacher, is in support of the capital campaign the group is running to raise funds for a second shelter to house young women who have broken away from their abusers and traffickers and provide them with stability and a path forward. 

“There are only 35 beds in the state of Florida for these girls. All the beds are always occupied. Last year, we had 81 referrals (from the state Dept. of Children and Family Services), and we couldn’t accept any,” said Schumacher. Ground Up currently operates a group home in Cape Coral that accommodates three survivors and is looking to add another facility that can house another five. “We’re trying to raise $800,000 by the end of the year.” Thanks to the support they currently receive, he said, “every penny we raise goes straight to the safe house.” 

The need is critical, he emphasized; just physically separating a young woman from her trafficker and her abusive situation is only the beginning of the recovery process. Survivors of trafficking who are minors face unique challenges that typical foster homes aren’t equipped to address. Many of these young survivors have experienced severe trauma, making them flight risks in traditional foster settings. Without specialized support, says the Ground Up website, they often return to their traffickers due to trauma bonds, run away from traditional foster homes, end up in juvenile detention facilities, and struggle with trust and attachment. “We start with safety; we start with trust,” said Schumacher. 

The need is also vast; in 2023, over 2,000 human trafficking cases were reported in Florida, with over 1,600 involving children. 

“A great many of these girls cannot go back to their families. Often, the parents are addicts or are homeless themselves,” said Schumacher. 

If you suspect human trafficking, you can call the National Human Trafficking Hotline, but in Collier County, you are likely to find a faster response by calling 911 if a person is at immediate risk or 239-252-9300, the sheriff’s non-emergency number. Ground Up Ministries is a 501(c)3 registered charity. To learn more about their work or help to fund it, go online to GroundUpMinistries.org.