Local organization helps victims of sex trafficking

January marks Sex Trafficking Awareness Month. One Lexington non-profit, Natalie's Sisters, provides resources for women impacted.

Lexington, Ky (WTVQ): January marks Sex Trafficking Awareness Month. One Lexington non-profit, Natalie’s Sisters, provides resources for women impacted. In January they’re looking for your help with donations. Founder, and Executive Director Jani Lewis, started this organization in 2000 to help women like herself. She says she was a single mom at the time.

According to Lewis, Monday through Friday you’ll see women preparing meals and making calls to extend hope to those looking to change their lives. “It’s little strides little steps at a time that make all the difference in the world,” she said. “I really didn’t see what I could do to support my child. I ended up falling into the clubs. How long did that last for? About three years, and it’s not easy to get out once you’ve gotten in. It’s a lifestyle,” she said.

Now Lewis has made it her mission to make sure other women know there’s a way
out. “There’s still women out here who are walking the streets everyday who just don’t have any hope of a place to stay,” she said. “They’re out all winter long, homeless or living on a friends couch or paying to sleep on somebody’s floor.”

Some of the issues the women face is substance use disorder and mental health crises.
Lewis says that sex trafficking occurs in every hotel here in Lexington. throughout the years the organization has helped more than 1500 women. In January, they’ll be looking for food, clothing donations, including new or gently-worn leggings, t-shirts, socks, coats, and tennis shoes of all sizes.

Lewis says that every week, the organization gives out about 60 clothing bags with the help of “schools, work groups, service groups home schooled co-op families they get together and pack sack lunches and drop them off for us to distribute. Our January calendar is wide open. So, we need lots of folks to help with that,” she said.

If you want to help and donate, you can reach out to melinda@nataliessisters.org, or call (859) 533-5946.