Brown Paper Tickets uses cookies to provide the best experience on our website. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy

Cookie Settings

How Families First Changed One Life Forever

Not everyone has family or friends to turn to when times get rough. That’s why community service organizations are essential—they are the “village” for people to lean on when dealing with tough times.

Families First, our latest Giving Program donation recipient strengthens communities with individual and family mental health counseling, support groups, education and training, 24-hr crisis/suicide intervention hotline, and many other services.

How Families First changed one life:

Amy’s mother was first her abuser, selling her for sex at age five. Her mother kept all the money that the young girl was forced to earn throughout her childhood. At 18, she was forced into the emotional and physical control of other abusers – pimps. Restrained by physical chains and never allowed to move about the community independently, Amy was forced to perform sex acts, beaten, and starved until last November; she had just turned 50 years old.

Circumstances allowed her escape from her tormentors and she learned about Families First’s services. She was connected to a survivor advocate who enrolled her in multiple services.

Families First provided immediate support by getting her a place to stay and helping with some basic expenses. She received a case manager and began counseling programs to develop a safety plan, becoming aware of ‘red flag’ situations in relationships, and learned to process her trauma and emotions.

Now, less than a year after escaping her abusers, Amy says, “I’m learning to deal with what was inside, because I’ve kept that inside for a long time … It’s getting a lot better. It gets a little raw from time to time just opening up and everything, but … it just feels really good to be in a safe environment; I’ve never had this before.”

Despite years of abuse, Amy still has a heart full of gratitude. “This is just a really nice place, it helps people that are in a bad situation and they start making you feel sufficient and just learn to rebuild your life. Families First basically just saved my life from a path of destruction; I’m learning to make a better life for myself. I was never taught that.”

Amy said eventually she would like to help others who’ve experienced sex trafficking through Families First’s volunteer opportunities of mentorship and facilitating support groups. “If you can just help one person, that’s one person who is saved. And places like this need support where they can keep doing the good deeds that they do.”

She has a long road ahead to learn to live independently. She still walks around in a disguise so that she won’t be recognized by acquaintances of her former life.

“I just want to keep living a healthy life, and just having a happier life, and take the tools that I’ve learned and not be ashamed of where I come from…and just keep smiling because nothing’s promised for tomorrow – so you just got to keep making every day a better day.”

Brown Paper Tickets is honored to include Families First in our Giving Program. You can support Families First by making a monetary donation or volunteering at their Indianapolis-area facility.

Photo provided by Families First.

Good Causes >

Charity Pick: April Showers Bring ‘A New Leaf’

A-New-Leaf, Give BigEvery month, Brown Paper Tickets donates at least 5% of our profits to a charity from a pool of online charity submissions that come through our charity page. We are pleased to announce that we have selected A New Leaf as our April 2017 charity.

With so many great charities, choosing just one a month is a difficult task. There are submissions from many wonderful organizations that positively impact communities.

A New Leaf is a 46-year-old community nonprofit organization that provides a broad spectrum of support services to help individuals and families in crisis.

Many times, folks are stuck in situations out of their control and need a little help to get their lives set in the right direction. With dignity and compassion, A New Leaf improves the lives of families and individuals.

Impact of A New Leaf

  • 200,000 meals annually
  • 150,000 nights of shelter a year
  • Host 12,000 counseling sessions annually
  • Aided 21,140 individuals and families with critical resources

Last year alone, A New Leaf provided 22,047 individuals with a wide spectrum of services, including homeless and domestic violence shelters with services, affordable housing solutions, behavioral health, foster care, counseling, financial literacy coaching, and basic needs.

A New Leaf is a critical asset to their community and it is crucial that organizations continue do this work.

How to Give Big to A New Leaf

Giving volunteer time feels amazing. If you live in the Valley area of Arizona, please consider helping out. A New Leaf has both group and individual volunteer opportunities available. Learn more and sign up or have a blast at one of their special events.

Get your workplace, local school or community involved. Hold a donation drive for essential items.

Finally, you can donate direct and make an impact for A New Leaf and the people they serve. Donations are tax deductible and if you live in the state of Arizona, your donation may be eligible for a dollar-for-dollar tax credit from the state.

Good Causes >