“They will heal. They will recover.”
How this Regions Bank community partner helps abuse and trafficking survivors – in more ways than one.
By Nestor Mato
Eradicating abuse. Empowering survivors.
They’re at the heart of the mission for the nonprofit Kristi House in Miami.
And they’re the focus of a determined group of experienced leaders, generous supporters and longtime advocates who are deeply invested in helping people be made whole.
“They will heal. They will recover,” Kristi House CEO Amanda Altman told the Doing More Today team as they saw how the agency works hand-in-hand with those who have experienced physical abuse, child sexual abuse, sex trafficking, substance abuse, and other traumas.
Survivors benefit from evidence-based, therapeutic expertise. In addition, Kristi House coordinates legal, medical and social services for people going through the program.
Chris Cruzpino, Miami-Dade market executive for Regions Bank, serves on the Kristi House Board of Directors. She also volunteers her time to share financial wellness with people supported by the agency.
“Helping them understand things about a Social Security number, a checking account, what credit means to them, and savings and how that can affect them and impact them is extremely valuable,” Cruzpino shared.
Because financial wellness supports financial freedom. And it gives survivors another way to move forward, to heal, and to write a new chapter.
This is all complex work. And much of it is delivered through Kristi House’s Project GOLD, or Girls Owning their Lives and Dreams. Nestor Mato from the Doing More Today team shows you how it works. (See the video above.)
Supporting organizations like Kristi House complements Regions Bank’s Community Engagement Strategy. And the bank has a clear track record of helping survivors of human trafficking and related traumas.
Check out the following examples from recent years – starting with an article that shows how you can help spot the warning signs of trafficking and alert law enforcement to what you see.
