​Stories of the Women Impacted by the “Give Rides” Ministry

The names and locations of the women represented below have been changed to protect their autonomy and continued safety.

Betty is the single mom of a physically/mentally-disabled son. She is a recovering addict who has health issues related to drug abuse and has been clean for 9 months! She was working a program put in place by law enforcement and went to every meeting she was required to attend. She has since graduated and only has to go to AA meetings now. The “Give Rides” program helps her attend the AA meetings, get her son to doctor’s appointments, therapy sessions, the grocery store, and food bank. By gifting her a vehicle, she plans to give back to others in her community by providing rides and getting others to recovery meetings like herself.  She can now attend programs like Celebrate Recovery and other classes that will help her keep mentally, emotionally and spiritually healthy. 

Casey came from the OOD ministry that works with women who want to come out of the sex traffic industry. She has been sober for one year and currently lives in a sober living home. Lyft Rides help her get to the meetings she needs to attend to stay clean and fulfill the program she is working through. She is giving back by helping the women who are just beginning the journey of coming out of the human trafficking lifestyle. She is involved with the TOD ministry to help provide meals and encouragement for the women and their children who are still in the lifestyle. She also regularly attends recovery meetings at TOD.

Jenny escaped her abuser and came to PP ministry for support. She was able to find a new job 15 miles away, despite having to abandon her transportation when she fled her abuser. Through support and hard work, she was able to save up for a down payment on a car. By receiving a car gifted to her through the “Give Rides” program she was able to work more hours and is saving up to find her own place to live. She expects to be fully independent in a few weeks.

Carla is a domestic violence survivor who came to this country with a man who eventually became so physically abusive she finally had to take her son who is 4-years-old and run for her life. She is originally from Africa where she had a business and still sends money home to help with this business that helps to educate young African woman. We gave her a vehicle and she is working now to establish her own cleaning company so she can not only make a decent living for her and her child, but also to employ other women coming out of domestic violence situations. She likes having a vehicle so that she can provide rides for women coming out of domestic violence like her.

Elaine is a great-grandmother who is using Lyft rides to be able to have visits with her great-granddaughter who she helped raise from a very destructive family life. Her granddaughter has parents who are addicts, and so her great-granddaughter is in foster care. Elaine had custody of her granddaughter until her house burned down and hasn’t found a home yet but should have one established soon.

Katie was rescued out of sex trafficking 5 years ago and is 32 years old now. She works for an organization that is helping to connect with potential survivors. She uses the car she was given through the “Give Rides” program to get to work so she can stay independent and helps others get to church and support the medical needs of friends. She was also able to drive to Ohio to get a service dog that has been an incredible asset in her recovery.

Josie has had her vehicle for a year now and is still working and raising her boys. The youngest has been sick so having the vehicle has been a God send to get him the medical help he needs. Having the vehicle also helps her to keep active at her church to strengthen her relationship to God and others. She has been clean for 2 years and just put in an application to work as a Recovery Coach to help others in their recovery.

Annette is a single mom with older children, coming out of a domestic violence situation and living at a domestic violence center. She has a full-time job and wants to go back to school to earn a Master’s degree so she can better support herself. She wants to live farther away from Atlanta to make sure she and her children are safe from her abuser so having the car gifted to her provides that freedom and safety.

Cherie is a single mom and survivor of human trafficking with a 1-year-old daughter. She lost a baby to SIDS a couple of years ago, which was devastating. She is working and going to school in Atlanta while her mom cares for daughter in another state as she tries to establish a life for herself and her daughter. She uses the car to get to work and school but also to be able to spend weekends with her daughter. She is currently working with a program that supports women coming out of the sex trade industry.