What We Do

Our Programs

• Over the past 25 years, Breaking Free has served more than 7,500 clients and reached over 25,000 individuals via street outreach—all while systematically growing its programming to embrace a full continuum of care.  
• Advocacy to survivors of commercial sexual exploitation and those experiencing homelessness through our drop-in center.  Breaking Free completes a case plan for all program participants. The initial focus is housing instability because in any case it is essential for an individual's physical safety and mental health as well as crucial to an individual’s ability to obtain or maintain employment, inclusive of a plan to improve household income.  
• Provide permanent supportive housing for over 50+ families in collaboration with Heading Home Ramsey, HUD, the Suburban Metro Area CoC, and Hearth Connection.  After our participants are housed, advocates are responsible for providing supportive services and/or temporary financial assistance to assist participants in maintaining existing permanent housing, as well as assisting program participants in acquiring emergency supplies such as food, clothing, bedding, and hygiene items.  
• Advocates provide case management including referral to resources, including but not limited to mainstream benefits, legal aid, childcare, mental health, chemical health, employment and financial assistance, budgeting assistance, and tenant-landlord mediation.  Advocates help participants obtain rental assistance, utility assistance, vital documents, and furniture/household supplies.  

Our Goals

While the primary mission of Breaking Free is to provide direct services to victims and survivors, we also aim to: 

• Ensure that the services provided are victim-centered, trauma-informed, and operate within a culturally appropriate, age- and gender-inclusive context
• Provide safe and secure permanent housing placement assistance to our target population
• Decriminalize victims and encourage the use of pre-court diversion in lieu of criminal charges against individuals engaged in prostitution
• Educate law enforcement, the criminal justice system, medical professionals, service providers, educators and students, faith communities, and the community at large about the effects of commercial sexual exploitation
• Expose prostitution and sex trafficking as violence against an individual
• To stop the demand that drives sex trafficking