I 5 Freedom Network

The i-5 Freedom Network’s mission is three-fold:
1) To empower human trafficking survivors with life skills for a path forward and away from the life of human trafficking
2) To equip the hospitality industry with tools to become heroes in the fight against human trafficking
3) To mobilize entire communities to join the fight to end human trafficking.

We continue to develop and refine our programs to bring education, training, and action opportunities to combat human trafficking up and down the i-5 corridor in Southern California, as well as providing access and advantage to survivors through workshops that increase their employability and their belief in themselves.

Brenda Wells was initially drawn to the issue of human trafficking through the International Justice Mission while working overseas. Returning to California, Brenda learned that human trafficking is alive and well right here in our backyards. After attending an Orange County anti-trafficking event in 2013, Brenda began to set the wheels in motion. Two years later, in 2015, Brenda launched i-5 Freedom Network – an organization borne from her passion for the cause and her professional experience.

Brenda combined her professional experience with her knowledge on human trafficking to combat the activity from a unique vantage point. As a corporate trainer she leveraged her connections to provide scholarships for personal and professional development seminars for survivors, who are at a disadvantage when it comes to finding and retaining work. What’s more, her experience in and understanding of the hotel industry allowed her to formulate human trafficking prevention training tailored to the needs of the hotel industry.

With an engaged Board and dedicated team, i-5 Freedom Network has become an integral part of the fight against human trafficking throughout Orange County and the surrounding area.

Top accomplishments:
1. Continued effectively teaching survivor workshops online and in person.
2. Created a new Survivor-developed 14-week Survivor course combining emotional and practical tools to support those who are building a new foundation for their life outside of exploitation. This trauma-informed restorative program develops key capabilities, accelerates financial and emotional independence, improves quality of life, and empowers Survivors to build the futures they envision.
3. Launched a new training and awareness initiative hotel program, created in collaboration with the i-5 Freedom Network, Law Enforcement, and Survivors of human trafficking, that will connect both hotel employees and guests with critical information and responses for observed possible trafficking incidences.
4. Brought on a new Executive Director and Program Coordinator and promoted our Survivor Leader to Operations Director.
5. Created a new Survivor Sunshine Box program that bring encouragement to a transitioning Survivor joy as they move through a challenging chapter in life to uplift their spirits and provide support along their journey.
6. i-5 Freedom Network's initiatives resulted in San Clemente’s Public Safety Committee voting unanimously to implement a 2-year plan with more effective preventative actions against Human Trafficking.
7. Doubled our Community Awareness and Corporate Engagement efforts, including hosting a Community and Safety Event training for hoteliers with a coalition of 14 organizations, 50+ hours of volunteer work and reaching 65 hotels/motels.

Top Goals:
1. Increase engagement and growth within our local community membership programs, including visibility for awareness and support.
2. Identify local events to increase awareness and develop paid speaking and training opportunities for Survivors.
3. Expanding our hotel training programs into regional contracts. Continue to develop the local hotel reward system, including training and response support.
4. Define and develop opportunities to collaborate with local and national nonprofit organizations that share our mission and goals and support anti-trafficking community collaborative initiatives.
5. Expand the new Survivor Course program and increase engagement and Survivor networking.

1. Completing our full board, seeking competent and committed board members.
2. Predictable funding for program delivery and Survivor scholarships: $45,500 annually for up to 12 workshops serving up to 180 survivors.
3. Predictable funding for established laptop program for survivor workshops at approximately $450 each, average 2 per 14-week course, 12 sessions per year, estimated total $10,800
4. Develop and expand our new social enterprise store with merchandise that supports our Survivor programs.
5. Adding volunteers and team members to develop grant-writing projects and other fund-raising activities.

Currently all our programs are online as well as in person and are therefore not limited by geography. In person programming currently in Orange County, San Diego, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino.

The i5 Freedom Network was built by applying our key competency - training - to tackle aspects of human trafficking issues that weren't being addressed elsewhere. We offer unique solutions to a very complex problem. The organization was one of the first organizations to offer trafficking prevention and training for hotels, and we were instrumental in the SB-970 legislation that made human trafficking training in hotels a statewide mandate. The i-5 Freedom Network were also advocates that helped to pass the SB14. SB14 now makes trafficking of a minor a serious crime in the state of California. We also have developed the After-Training Implementation Plan (A-TiP) for hotel training. This training customizes action plans for hotels and checks in on their progress, needs, and difficulties after their plans have been put in place. The i-5 Freedom Network also developed a training and awareness initiative program that connects both hotel employees and guests for critical information and responses during possible trafficking incidents.

Our Self Designed Life is developed by survivors with clinical guidance and expertise. It combines mental and emotional tools in practical steps into a trauma-informed restorative program that will help survivors with financial and emotional independence This program is designed to show participants how capable they are and empower them to Design the life they envision for themselves. Our Way2Work program was created to support vocational programs with complimentary soft-skills as a way of helping them maintain work, grow networks, and improve self-esteem. The program offers essential stress management, conflict resolution, presentation, and leadership skills to help survivors thrive in their professional and personal lives in order to stay out of the Life of trafficking. Our training competencies are also useful when it comes to engaging the community and enacting change at the grassroots level.

The i 5 Freedom Network offers training for groups or organizations on topics of trafficking they'd like to learn about. We've also presented to and consulted with city councils and legislative groups to pass trafficking prevention policies and continue to work with cities to improve ordinances aimed at preventing trafficking in Illicit Massage Businesses. In addition, we continue working with the City Council to support the preventative action plan with priorities of stopping modern day slavery in San Clemente and surrounding cities. We partner with the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force. The i 5 Freedom Network is also a co-chair of the integration committee through the OCHTTF. We also collaborate with other anti-human trafficking organizations to optimize our referral network for survivors.

The i-5 Freedom Network has divided the Executive Director and Board Chair positions concurrent with Brenda Wells’ (i-5 founder) transition from ED/Board Chair to Board Chair and the welcoming of a new ED, Stacey Enmeier. Brenda’s guidance as an active Board member, to both the new ED and the Board has made this a smooth transition. As the i-5 Freedom Network team moves to implement the new “Self-Designed Life” 14-week survivor program, the Board is working to find sustainable and stable funding sources that will lead to better budget forecasting and staff/program stability. Additionally, board recruitment and development remain as goals to improve governance, fundraising, and increased visibility for the organization.