Restoring Freedom and Dignity

When Rethreaded CEO Kristin Keen founded the nonprofit organization a dozen years ago, her deepest desire was to establish a company that could help survivors of sex trafficking gain skills, get job training, get access to counseling, and put the pieces of their lives back together. The resources and services Rethreaded provides helps to restore freedom and dignity to survivors as well as decrease the number of future victims.

Rethreaded was chosen as one of twelve 2023 Atlantic Cares recipients. Employees also support Rethreaded through volunteer hours.

Women in Rethreaded’s organization create beautiful leather goods from clutches to totes to leather-bound “hope journals.” The leather line is made from recycled airline seats from Southwest Airlines. They also produce healing candles, hand-dyed scarves, and nine flavors of hand-made toffee.

On July 29, Rethreaded will celebrate twelve years of changing lives. The birthday party and fundraiser will include drinks, toffee and the opportunity to purchase items that support Rethreaded, including a new line called Elemental.

“Elemental is by far the most gorgeous thing we have ever made. We have new bags and new earrings, and the colors are so beautiful,” said CEO Kristin Keen. She joked that they’d had to put staff limits on purchases so they’d have enough product left to sell at the party. “That's when you know you have something great – when the staff has been fighting over it.”

Keen also noted that Rethreaded had just hired seven new workers. “We have two women that started in the kitchen making the toffee, three that started in warehouse management, and two that started in production. Their training is the first part of our program,” she said.

Because of the need to support the new workers, Keen expressed her gratitude for the Atlantic Cares funding. “Your donation is super important right now because we need to pay for the women in the program,” she emphasized. “They have brought so much life and energy into the building, and we are just so proud of them.”

Because steady employment is one of the most important elements in escaping from human trafficking, Rethreaded has thus far provided more than 120,000 hours of work and employed more than eighty women. They have a goal of helping 500 survivors by 2033.

If you are interested in donating or volunteering, reach out to Rethreaded at (904) 438-8109 or e-mail info@rethreaded.com.

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