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"They will celebrate Your abundant goodness & joyfully sing of Your righteousness."
~Psalms 145:7
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It is a very busy next few weeks at Bloom. This Sunday, September 17 at 6:00 p.m., we will be holding a Celebration event to honor one Bloom participant as she graduates from our two-year residential program and will hear the courageous stories of two other survivors. New Covenant Christian Community Church (NC4) in Bethlehem is hosting this Celebration and their worship team has done a fabulous job working with us to create an event with beautiful music that will help us celebrate the amazing things God has done for Bloom and the women we serve. This event is free, but we ask that you register, so we know you're coming! Click here to register.
Then, just a few weeks later, we are holding our Freedom Benefit Dinner, graciously hosted by Olav & Gina Sandnes. This fundraising dinner will be held on October 4 at Saucon Valley Country Club and will include a Silent Auction. We are thrilled to have Hanni Stoklosa, MD, MHP, Chief Medical Officer and Co-founder of HEAL Trafficking, as our Keynote Speaker. She will be sharing her personal journey of awareness as an emergency physician ; learning and unlearning her own perceived ideas of trafficking; and understanding the ways that trauma effects the health of victims. And, the importance of medical advocacy for some of the most vulnerable in our communities.
We are blessed to have so many generous organizations and individuals supporting this event, including three Champion Sponsors: Air Products, In the Light Roofing, Oceana Health, J.B. and Kathleen Reilly, Bill & Denise Spence, and The Topper Foundation. There is still time to join these sponsors in supporting this event and ultimately supporting our mission to heal, empower and employ women survivors of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation right here in the Lehigh Valley. Click here to learn more on sponsorship opportunities or to register.
I hope to see you at one or both of these events!
With Gratitude,
Carol Andersen
CEO
Bloom for Women
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What's Happening
in Our Homes
Each day in our program is a huge accomplishment for our residents as they work hard to make a better life for themselves. The following are some of our participants' milestones and activities they have participated in this past month:
- One participant started back at school this month
- Two participants were welcomed to Bloom
- One participant celebrated one year sober
- One participant celebrated one year at Bloom.
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Current Needs
in Our Homes
It takes a lot of resources to operate our five homes and ensure we are providing our survivors with what they need to heal and rebuild their lives. Currently, we are in need of:
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Van for our Mountain Laurel House residents (mothers and babies).
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Gift cards for grocery shopping (i.e. Target. Walmart, Giant, Weis, ShopRite, PriceRite).
Visit our Amazon Wish List for an on-going list of items we need to take care of the women and babies in our homes.
Call our office at 610-866-5755 or email us if you may be able to help.
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We will celebrate the graduation of a Bloom participant
and hear the courageous stories of three survivors.
Our evening will conclude with worship music and a candle-lighting ceremony.
Light refreshments will be served.
Event is free.
Registration is required.
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Sponsorship opportunities are available. Please click the button below for more information on sponsoring or attending this event. | |
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Regular Monthly Prayer Meetings
The sessions will now take place on Zoom from
12:00-1:00 p.m. the second Monday of the month:
October 9, November 13, December 11, and so on.
If you are interested in joining us for prayer,
please email us.
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Lorri Tomko, DMD, M.B.A.
If you visit Bloom’s website, you’ll see our mission prominently displayed: “Providing sanctuary and a continuum of care to heal, empower and employ women survivors of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation.” Through hard work and compassion, each member of our Bloom family – board members, staff and volunteers – contributes in their own way to transform this mission into practice.
This month, we are pleased to introduce you to our board member whose gifts of service to Bloom focus primarily on the “heal” part of our mission as it relates to our survivors.
Dr. Lorri Tomko tells us how she was first introduced to Bloom. “I was invited to a charity event and quickly became aware of the immense need.” She adds that shortly thereafter, she made it her business to educate herself about our mission, and was invited by CEO Carol Andersen to join our board. For Lorri, it’s not just about monthly meetings and other run-of-the-mill responsibilities that come with serving on a board of directors. She regularly switches hats, rolls up her sleeves, and contributes her professional talents in a way that brings self confidence and a feeling of empowerment to our survivors in a profound way.
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Join Bloom's Sustainer Circle Today! | |
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Make an Immediate Impact!
The Sustainer Circle is Bloom’s monthly giving program supporting critical resources to fund the work of providing sanctuary and a continuum of care to heal, empower and employ women survivors of sex trafficking.
The Sustainer Circle recurring monthly gift is an automated, monthly giving program where members support Bloom all year round and sustain the important work of our programs.
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It’s convenient! No more checks to write or no monthly reminders to set! This saves you time and reduces printing and postage costs.
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Has immediate impact! In 2022, monthly recurring donors contributed $70,000! We are grateful for this on-going support!
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It's timeliness! You know your gifts will always be on time and will go to work immediately, changing survivors’ lives each and every day!
Click the button below to join our Sustainer Circle!
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HAPPENING AROUND BLOOM... | |
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Join our VIP Shopper Club and take advantage of special perks from coupons, invites to private shopping events to first looks at new items and exclusive sales!
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VIP Private Shopping Event
September 16
9 a.m. - 11 a.m.
This is the first day that our fall/winter items will be on the racks!
Remember to bring your VIP card!
The store will open to the public at 11 a.m.
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Closing Early!
September 15 at 2:00 p.m.
We will be closing the store early to restock all the racks with fall and winter clothing!
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Donations Temporarily on Hold
As we switch over our inventory to our fall and winter items, we are not accepting any donations.
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Volunteers Needed:
We are in need of volunteers to help out at the store. If interested, contact Rebekah Fritchman.
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Bloom Creative Studio had a busy August and now we are gearing up for the fall and the holiday seasons that are fast approaching.
We are focusing on cleaning up the studio, taking inventory, brainstorming ideas, and we even started making some holiday decorations.
Thinking of scheduling a private event? Think of us! We are quite good at accommodating groups whether for birthday parties, bachelorette parties, ladies night out, relay for life, church groups, school club outings, and much more. Please give us a call and book an event with us.
We will be posting a Wish List on Amazon for studio supplies so please keep us in mind as you browse Amazon. We will share the link once available.
We hope to see you at the studio and if you have never been here put it on your bucket list of things to do.
Happy Fall!
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As we welcome new survivors into our homes on a regular basis and are in constant need of restocking essential items for them, we have created an Amazon Wish List. The online list makes it easy for you to pick out items that our survivors need while staying in our homes and have them sent directly to Bloom. All donations are greatly appreciated. We ask that when you make a donation to please include your name in a gift message so that we can properly thank you for your donations. | | |
Bloom is a faith-based non-profit organization with the mission of providing sanctuary and a continuum of care to heal, empower and employ women survivors of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation. As part of its mission, Bloom offers emergency response, a two-year residential program, pregnant survivor services and an independent living program in the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania. Bloom follows the model and is a sister community of the remarkably successful Thistle Farms Nashville program. In addition, the Bloom Creative Studio, located in Bangor, Pa., is a social enterprise to leverage art as a healing tool and provide employment opportunities for survivors. Bloom also has a women’s upscale, resale boutique, My Sister’s Closet, based in Bethlehem, Pa., providing employment opportunities for survivors, community volunteer opportunities, and financial support for the organization. | |
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Bloom Headquarters
1425 Mountain Drive North
Bethlehem, PA 18015
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Bloom Lehigh County Program Office
532 Hamilton Street
Allentown, PA 18101
(By Appointment Only)
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