From Survival to Service: Kristen Russell’s Journey of Healing and Purpose

On the latest episode of the Stories to Create Podcast, Cornell Bunting sits down with Kristen Russell, Director of Development at Ground Up Ministries, an organization dedicated to supporting teenage girls rescued from human trafficking.

Kristen shares her passion for amplifying the voices of survivors and building meaningful partnerships within the community to expand the organization’s life-changing work. She also reflects on her time serving as Interim Executive Director, where she helped guide the mission during a critical period of growth.

Before her work in the nonprofit sector, Kristen built a strong professional foundation in financial planning and operations. She served as a Manager of Budget for Collier County Public Schools, where she focused on strategic resource allocation, and previously worked as an Operations Analyst, using data-driven insights to improve organizational efficiency. Earlier in her career, she provided executive administrative support at Broadridge, demonstrating strong leadership in communication and coordination. Kristen holds an Associate degree in Accounting from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor of Science from Hodges University.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Kristen opens up about her deeply personal journey. Raised in Long Island, New York, she made the difficult decision to leave in 2017 after surviving an abusive marriage that nearly cost her life. Her transition to Naples marked a turning point—where she was met with compassion, support, and a renewed sense of purpose.

Today, she has built a life rooted in healing, service, and fulfillment, using her experiences to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others.

This episode is not just an interview—it is a story of survival, resilience, and transformation.

Listen in as the story unfolds in real time, revealing powerful insights alongside Cornell throughout the conversation.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:52

David. Yes, yes. Welcome to another episode of Stories to Create podcast. Right here at ES Club. I'm your host, Cornell Buntin. I'm so excited today. I am in this space with a beautiful soul that is doing some major things. She got a team, she got a team, but they are saving some lives that have been compromised. I know. We don't give you the whole detail because you know you gotta hear about it in the story, right? We gotta create that today. I am excited, so I asked for you guys without further ado. Help me welcome. Kristen? Yes, welcome to the show.

SPEAKER_05 1:39

So good to be here.

SPEAKER_01 1:40

Yes, this is amazing. I gotta say that you know, people do a lot of different things to help individuals. What you do with your team of people, there's a lot of people that don't necessarily want to do that.

SPEAKER_04 1:58

No.

SPEAKER_01 2:01

Nope. It it is a scary world. It is a scary world, and and we'll dive into that in a little bit. I'm gonna leave you guys in suspense for a little bit. I got you, got you. You won't touch on it yet. But you know, of course, the listeners would like to know where was Kristen born? Where did you grow up?

SPEAKER_05 2:21

Ooh. So I was born in Long Island.

SPEAKER_01 2:26

Yo! Long Island. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 2:30

And they'll say strong island for who I need to represent.

SPEAKER_01 2:34

Right, right. There you go. There you go. That's crazy though. Because you were used to that that cold weather, that snow, and all that stuff.

SPEAKER_05 2:42

Yes, and I'm so it's it is way better in the past. I love the sandy beaches. I do love the sandy beaches.

SPEAKER_01 2:51

Like I had to get out of there, Viva. How long was you there? Like you did school, you did primary school, middle school, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 2:59

I was a graduate of my hometown. Okay. Um, so and then years later, my destiny was here by a traumatic event.

SPEAKER_01 3:09

So that's that's something you didn't even know. Something I didn't even know. So, so wait a minute. The coal is happening, but Florida wasn't really planned.

SPEAKER_05 3:20

No. Oh. 2017, my children and I were sent here for safety. Mm-hmm. He might need to respect that. I never knew.

SPEAKER_01 3:34

I never knew do we want to tap in? Can we tap in?

SPEAKER_05 3:41

Yes. Okay. We can. I'm now I am now the voice of that story.

SPEAKER_01 3:46

Okay. Okay. Yes. I have braced myself. Wow, let's let's tap in. So let's take us back just a light little bit, you know. Who who's Christian like in school growing up?

SPEAKER_05 4:04

But this isn't the nerd power. Yeah. Okay. President of DECA, Secretary of Vicca, on the school store manager, involved in anything, including drama.

SPEAKER_02 4:15

Wow.

SPEAKER_05 4:15

I was a tennis player, cheerleader from very young. Talk about just being involved. Absolutely involved.

SPEAKER_01 4:24

Are you guys surprised that she was a president? I mean, come on. Hey.

SPEAKER_05 4:28

Okay. So I had uh philanthropy in my blood growing up. It was a thing to my grandparents to always give back.

SPEAKER_00 4:36

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 4:37

So Make a Wish Foundation, other foundations were always on my heart. Yeah. And it was what can you push out before you push in?

SPEAKER_01 4:45

Oh man. Yes. Wow. So wow.

SPEAKER_05 4:49

Mm-hmm.

unknown 4:50

Man.

SPEAKER_05 4:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 4:52

I like that though. So, you know, with all of that that was unfolding, how many siblings was around?

SPEAKER_05 4:59

Mm-hmm. So I am one of four.

SPEAKER_01 5:01

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 5:02

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 5:03

Right, all right.

SPEAKER_05 5:03

I have this amazing middle first. I am the second born out of four. Second, okay. Yes. Okay. I will never say on middle child.

SPEAKER_01 5:13

I won't never say that. There's something about that. There's something about that, isn't it? I won't. I hear you. I hear you. So what was that like, you know, in a house of four siblings?

SPEAKER_05 5:26

Oh, we were we are a huge, big family. Okay. We are huge. Yeah. My mom has 13 grandchildren right now.

unknown 5:33

Wow.

SPEAKER_05 5:33

Yes, we are a big, big family. And we were big then too because we're an extension of our my aunts and uncles every week would be in our house.

SPEAKER_03 5:42

Something going on.

SPEAKER_05 5:43

It was absolutely family vibe. If we weren't going to Saturday, five o'clock service, we were having time life.

SPEAKER_01 5:50

So you were going to the church a lot?

SPEAKER_05 5:52

Always. I grew up in the church. Okay. Catholic, though. I did switch my faith a little.

SPEAKER_01 5:58

Catholic don't go too crazy where you got to go to church like two, four days a week or other.

SPEAKER_05 6:03

No, they do have some rules. I wasn't allowed to eat half hour prior. You had to be pure to the word. Oh. That was something my grandfather always told me. I still don't know the science behind it. I'm not too sure about that.

SPEAKER_01 6:16

I didn't even know. So you when to go to church, you gotta eat half hour before.

SPEAKER_05 6:21

We eat before, because you definitely don't want to eat during or and afterwards wasn't gonna happen right away.

SPEAKER_01 6:26

Wow. Wow. And you can't really eat in church.

SPEAKER_05 6:29

Oh no. No. Don't try to even fall asleep. Woo! You ain't going to the next week. It's a punishment. My grandfather did not play.

unknown 6:39

What?

SPEAKER_01 6:40

Wow. I would have been one of those individuals that'd be like, Cornell, you cannot eat in the church. I probably wouldn't be eating in the church.

SPEAKER_05 6:47

Right?

SPEAKER_01 6:48

Yeah. Just to disrupt something.

SPEAKER_05 6:51

I still, to this day, I bring my coffee. I'm like, I think because I'm an adult now, I'm like, I can bring my snacks. I can grab my bagel, my coffee on the way. We grownups out of the year. I'm still pure to the word. I listen, I I read. Yeah. But but beside my coffee.

SPEAKER_01 7:10

Right. So a lot of giving in school. You had that heart to be very actionable.

SPEAKER_05 7:17

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_01 7:18

So college was up there as well.

SPEAKER_05 7:20

Oh, yeah. Yeah. I started right after high school. I went into a SUNY Fort Me Dale. Okay. So right into that path.

SPEAKER_01 7:27

So, you know, after school was done, did you wanted to go into like the philanthropy stuff or you wanted to go into the workworld?

SPEAKER_05 7:35

No, so the No. So I was called the numbers.

SPEAKER_01 7:38

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 7:39

So auditing, socks testing behind the stock market was where I was. I worked for one of the major companies that 90% of the banks are their part and that's their customers, right? Right, right. So I jumped right into there.

SPEAKER_00 7:52

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 7:52

Okay. Okay. I like that.

SPEAKER_05 7:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:55

Now walk us just take us into 2017. But before we get into 2017, let's get on the cuffs of 2016. Just a little bit of some of the challenges that was unfolding.

SPEAKER_05 8:12

Well, I think what to even go back even further.

SPEAKER_01 8:16

Right.

SPEAKER_05 8:17

What I thought was love at 15 didn't end up turning out to be love. Because 2016 is where I def it it was purely defined.

SPEAKER_01 8:27

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 8:28

And I was filing for divorce.

SPEAKER_01 8:31

So you're out of half. You were discovered by him at the age of 15.

SPEAKER_05 8:36

Yeah, he was 21. And I hid him from my family because I was a righteous girl. Why would I tell that I'm dating someone older? Why this man would drive me and my friends everywhere? What I thought was love and above my family was absolutely not.

SPEAKER_01 8:54

Wow.

SPEAKER_05 8:54

No.

SPEAKER_01 8:55

So but he waited until you got to 18, 19, then you got married.

SPEAKER_05 9:00

Mm-hmm. Yeah, we got married. We did get married. I did have some medical situations. I had to have brain surgery. So we're we're unfolding a lot. He's really learning my life. So I I so I had to have some brain surgery. So he was right there with a lot of my stages of needing some medical care. Again, thinking it was all love and not taking me away from my family, my friends, everything. But slowly it was. And then after having children, it got a little harder.

SPEAKER_00 9:30

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 9:31

And and then he did have more than one woman on the side. Oh. And I said, I'm too strong for this. Yeah. And I got stronger and stronger.

SPEAKER_02 9:40

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 9:41

Went to work every day, built myself up in a career aspect, able to leave him financially. Okay. And then not gonna cry. Uh he said, To death do us part. And he attempted to murder me and my children on November 3rd of 2016.

unknown 10:00

Oh man.

SPEAKER_05 10:01

And literally said those words.

SPEAKER_03 10:03

Wow.

SPEAKER_05 10:04

My four-year-old at the time found a way to get through our fence to get help. And she did. She saved my life. She saved her sister's life that was knocked out on the floor.

SPEAKER_01 10:17

Wow. So you guys got out of there.

SPEAKER_02 10:22

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_01 10:24

How how soon after you got out of that home were you guys able to move to Florida?

SPEAKER_05 10:30

So it wasn't a choice of mine being with such family and and the community having a career. I could my my job was amazing. They knew he broke my phone that day. They immediately got me a phone the next day. Okay. Only sent a few staff because I knew when I finally got home from the hospital, I was pretty beaten. But they did find him. Okay. My brother's a retired detective, but he was a detective at the time. So they they Suffolk County police did everything possible to find them. Okay. And he did, they was found. Okay. Only given a year in jail for what he did. What? Was not a felony. It was misdemeanors. Misdemeanors. Because he tore my ear, but my ear didn't fall off. He broke my tooth, but my t tooth was still intact. They couldn't confirm, even though handprints were on my throat, that he he made me unconscious. So the state said, it's a misdemeanor. We're gonna allow him to plea deal this because he had some information on some other things.

SPEAKER_01 11:31

I see. So he Okay, okay, wow.

SPEAKER_05 11:35

And he was out in good behavior, given an Inkle monitor, restricting a demon, right? Restricting the devil, trying to grab him.

SPEAKER_02 11:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 11:43

So eventually he took that off.

SPEAKER_02 11:44

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 11:45

And I don't know exactly what transpired, but whoever was around him knew that he was heading towards me to finish the job of death to part. Oh man. I mean, Suffolk County Police gave us about $500, a map quest, told us not to use our phone, put us on the train with my car and my two kids, which were under five years old at the time, and brought us on the train and gave me a telephone number to call. I still didn't know I was going to Naples. Still had no clue. Got to the station, got on to my car because you finally get reunited with your car. Call this number. Then they give me directions to Naples. They were bringing me to the shelter for abused family and children. Oh man. Still then, I wasn't allowed to tell even my detective brother where I was being sent. Could not call my mom to say I'm here safe. It was a few weeks, maybe over a month, before I could call my mom and even say what state I was sent to.

SPEAKER_03 12:50

Oh man.

SPEAKER_05 12:51

And we're a tight family, right?

SPEAKER_01 12:54

Yeah. Right? Wow. Now the shelter here, they they welcome you with open arms and yes.

SPEAKER_05 13:03

Yes. They absolutely did. They have an amazing facility. Yeah. That you sit on the furniture, you feel loved.

SPEAKER_02 13:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 13:12

Staff that I I got the pleasure to to meet some of their, I guess, maybe committee, event committee people that would come in. It happened to be around it was October, and it was towards December that I was getting out. So there was people coming in for the holidays. Okay. And I got to speak with them. Okay. And I've seen them now throughout the years, kind of in different events. But you could tell it's such a well-loved committee that they have surrounding that shelter.

SPEAKER_01 13:38

How how was your kids dealing with all this when Oh it was tough. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 13:43

Yeah. My my daughter was a she was going into kindergarten, or she was in kindergarten at the time.

SPEAKER_04 13:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 13:49

That we were sent. So she had to she had just a few weeks of kindergarten and then had to be sent here.

SPEAKER_02 13:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 13:55

Couldn't see her cousins anymore.

SPEAKER_02 13:56

Right.

SPEAKER_05 13:57

Or her her nanny.

SPEAKER_02 13:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 13:59

You know, her pa, my dad, my mom. Couldn't call them, couldn't call anybody. So I I immediately looked for her apartment. I knew that North Naples was kind of my home. Okay. So I I immediately, as quick as I could, right, figured out some things. I knew I couldn't just tell people where I was working. So I had to start a little bit fresh with quiet eyes and ears. You know, I I was I was scared at that point.

SPEAKER_01 14:24

Right. Wow. Mm-hmm. Now, and I, you know, with with with your kids being as young as they were seeing some of that, when was you able to even talk to them about the whole situation?

SPEAKER_05 14:36

So being that that shelter is so fully loved with staff, volunteers, and equipped to serve the girls, the families that come in, they immediately put you into a setting of there's a th therapist there, there's therapists for children there. Okay, there's people that can talk to you all for the advocacy, and even at night when you're having that moment of I can't sleep, there's staff there. So uh, you know, it's tough though. We were having an art event and we were just playing, and I think we were making t-shirts, and I remember my daughter, it was red paint. And you know, sometimes you can't get it to squeeze out. So we tried real good. Someone said, Let me help you. And when she squeezed it, the red went everywhere. Wow. My daughter's PTSD hid in. This is now a three-year-old.

SPEAKER_02 15:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 15:27

And she turns blue. She's not breathing because she remembers the blood on me that day. And immediately we have to, and but it even struck me, all of us, red was such a trigger.

SPEAKER_02 15:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 15:39

You know, even going to church, red lights were so triggering because the blood that I shed that day with what would happen to us.

SPEAKER_02 15:46

Right, right, right.

SPEAKER_05 15:48

Yeah, yeah. So luckily, things like that, that I was still within again their security blanket at the time to kind of go through what PTSD is, right? I didn't know what that was.

SPEAKER_02 16:00

Right, right, right.

SPEAKER_05 16:01

You know, then I worked with the schools, they they they had a great support system to walk into the school for enrollment. My girls, Pelican Marshall Elementary has the amazing staff. Yeah, they are rock stars to this day. Yeah. My daughter now up, but in in middle school, my other one is in elementary, but they have our file locked. Yeah. That's very secure on even our bus stops. Yeah. No one will know where we live. Amazing. To this day. And they will continue.

SPEAKER_01 16:37

Yeah, I love that. Yeah. I love that. I love that. Wow. Man. I'm gonna wait after the show, then I'll give her a hug because I want to give her a hug.

SPEAKER_05 16:48

Don't I'll cry. Don't I'll cry.

SPEAKER_01 16:50

Yeah. Um, but you know, you've despite all that that was unfolding, you still find it in you to go help others.

SPEAKER_05 17:02

Yes. Always. Because again, I was raised and you give before you get.

SPEAKER_02 17:07

Right, right.

SPEAKER_05 17:07

You bring outward before you bring in. Right? So knowing, and it didn't happen right away, but knowing that great people got me to a place of serenity, right? Of peace, to know that my kids are safe, and also have an outrageous education system.

SPEAKER_02 17:24

Right.

SPEAKER_05 17:24

Something I couldn't pay for in New York, right? The blessing behind the curse, right? Is was Naples.

SPEAKER_02 17:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 17:30

That, you know, was absolutely where I was sent, was where I was destined to go. So now I just had to find my church again. I had to find my village. I had to build people around me that were like-minded individuals, which absolutely I am still even grabbing. I'm like, ooh, I need more. Yeah, give me more of them, right? So that was where I was like, no, I will be a leader of church. I will let me volunteer at a Val hospice. Let me go, you know, be on a board for the medical community, in addition to being on the board for the human trafficking world.

SPEAKER_01 18:03

Right.

SPEAKER_05 18:04

I have a survivor's heart and I am not gonna be quiet.

SPEAKER_01 18:07

Yeah, wow, wow. I gotta tell you that and that world, you know, you gotta be very bold with a lot of brave in you to wanna be in a fee like that where you're helping uh humans that are being trafficked.

SPEAKER_05 18:23

Yes. Wow. Yes. So that is where I jumped on the board initially and I was like, I can do your accounting work, let me be your treasurer. Yes, I can make this number work, right? Right. But then meeting the girls, yeah. Working with children that have endured so much more than I know what is what is of trauma.

SPEAKER_02 18:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 18:44

I mean, the cases are hard.

SPEAKER_02 18:47

Yes.

SPEAKER_05 18:47

The children are getting younger, and there's so many on the waiting list just needing a safe bed.

SPEAKER_02 18:53

Right.

SPEAKER_05 18:54

That was like, I am not, I can't, I cannot not do this.

SPEAKER_02 18:59

Right.

SPEAKER_05 19:00

Right? Because I know what it is to be a victim and to go into being a survivor.

SPEAKER_02 19:05

Right.

SPEAKER_05 19:06

But these are children.

SPEAKER_02 19:08

Right.

SPEAKER_05 19:08

Right? I and I see my children in them as far as my children needed certain therapy groups. They needed different nonprofits to hug them through their childhood so that now they can play their oboe and their string bass and be musically inclined because that's what their heart says, or or dance like a dancing queen because they are safe and loved and valued.

SPEAKER_02 19:31

Right. Right?

SPEAKER_05 19:32

So now, how can I help the program do just that for these girls that we get, even for a temporary moment?

SPEAKER_02 19:39

Right, right. You know? Wow.

SPEAKER_05 19:41

My personal experience can be transported to that, which is a blessing and oh, it's amazing.

SPEAKER_01 19:48

You know, it's so amazing because you know, sometimes, you know, people talk about the bad situation they're in until they meet someone that's in a worse situation.

SPEAKER_05 20:00

And that's really it.

SPEAKER_01 20:01

And then you're like, why am I even complaining?

SPEAKER_05 20:04

But I mean, it's still valid with you know what's going on over here, but well, that's why God calls us for our testimonies to be spoken for those that need to come up from there.

SPEAKER_02 20:16

Yes, yes, yes, right?

SPEAKER_05 20:18

So every time there is a little bit of trial in your life, there is a reason behind it to lift yourself and others to so much more.

SPEAKER_01 20:27

This is true. This is very true. And I've, you know, you guys have heard this a few different times before, but you know, it's always so beautiful and pure when it comes from someone that I've had certain experience and have died into another world that is so much evil.

SPEAKER_05 20:47

Man, yeah, yep. Yeah, you know, evil's out there.

SPEAKER_01 20:54

Yes.

SPEAKER_05 20:55

But the more we sow our seeds, the lighter the world gets.

SPEAKER_01 20:59

This is true. This is true, and I think you know, we're moving into a space where more people are starting to do that.

SPEAKER_02 21:06

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:07

You have you have surrounded yourself with a lot of ladies that are, you know, like-minded and and passionate. How did that even unfold?

SPEAKER_05 21:16

Yeah, so at my church, they wanted a human trafficking crew and they showed the Sound of Freedom movie. And I was like, yes, that's right. You know, what can I do? Yeah, who can I call?

SPEAKER_02 21:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 21:27

Do I need to go all the way to Capitol Hill? I'll I'll I'm there, right? I don't know how I'm getting there, but I'm there. You know, you know, and that's where I jumped on that and learned what locations were in Florida.

SPEAKER_02 21:39

Right.

SPEAKER_05 21:39

You know, something I'll tell you now, which wasn't a couple years ago, there was more. But right now, Ground Up Ministry is one of only three organizations to be able to take in children who have survived human trafficking.

SPEAKER_03 21:54

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 21:56

We only have a 2% of the rescued beds in the entire state.

SPEAKER_03 22:02

Yeah.

unknown 22:03

Wow.

SPEAKER_03 22:04

Yeah. That is amazing.

SPEAKER_05 22:05

Which is scary to hear. It is scary. Right? A critical gap is happening right now. Is is 225 kids were rescued just in Florida last year.

SPEAKER_00 22:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 22:17

Two three operations.

SPEAKER_00 22:19

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 22:20

And then there was only 30 beds for those kids.

SPEAKER_01 22:23

30 beds.

SPEAKER_05 22:24

But I can tell you, all of them are full.

SPEAKER_01 22:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 22:26

We, during every three operations, had to say no when we got that call.

SPEAKER_02 22:30

Yeah. Wow.

SPEAKER_05 22:32

We're full.

SPEAKER_02 22:33

Yeah, wow.

SPEAKER_05 22:34

And as are the others.

SPEAKER_00 22:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 22:35

You know, and that's that for me, I'm like, oh, that that is more so why? I am Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:41

Wow.

SPEAKER_05 22:42

You know.

SPEAKER_01 22:43

Oh, it's crazy as you're talking right now. Cause you know, later, a couple shows, because the show right now is booked all the way out to I think May. Somewhere there or June, somewhere there. But we have a lady coming on the show that was in she was in the whole chef. Like she was one of those victims.

SPEAKER_05 23:05

Yes. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:07

We were on a show together. She was the first guest. I was the second guest. And just hearing her, I was so blown away. I was like, I gotta bring you on the show. Because I've never I've never interviewed someone that have been in the fire, like you know, and what that look like. I don't even know what that's gonna look like.

SPEAKER_05 23:25

Well, and there's so many levels of trafficking.

SPEAKER_01 23:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 23:28

So you can be trafficked for sexual things, but you can also be trafficked in the world of business.

SPEAKER_02 23:35

Yes.

SPEAKER_05 23:36

And in so many things of basically abuse and money, you're trafficked.

SPEAKER_02 23:41

Oh, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 23:42

You know? So it is a serious topic. Yeah. And when someone has a voice to it, they are finally healed and redeemed to get that out. They are worthy of every word they say.

SPEAKER_01 23:56

Yeah. Have you ever had the urge, you know, and I know because of the nature now of the situation, you might have not gone back to Long Island yet, huh? Or you have?

SPEAKER_05 24:08

Uh so I do, I mean, I go back twice a year because that's my family, my friends. I still have the same friends from fourth grade. Okay, there you go. Same friends. I have a lot more now around me, but absolutely do go back. Would I live there? I don't know. This is my serenity. This is where this is where my my path was led. The sun and the beast. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 24:30

I don't know that I yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:32

When you get up in the morning, what's the one song that you could go to and just it relax your mind and get you ready for the day?

SPEAKER_05 24:40

Who there is so many.

SPEAKER_01 24:43

There's a few, huh?

SPEAKER_05 24:44

There is.

SPEAKER_01 24:45

You like the real song music.

SPEAKER_05 24:47

Well, you know, I'm a person that just I'll put instrumental Christian music on and just listen.

SPEAKER_01 24:55

Just hang up.

SPEAKER_05 24:56

Yeah. I'll just listen and meditate to just that. I like that. Right? So it doesn't have to be one direct song. Yeah. Yeah. You know, but there is so many that you could just listen to and just it speaks to the moment. Yeah. Right? So I'm big on just throwing a radio station on. What is it? What is that song for me? Yeah. Right? What is that song that I need to hear right now? Right. Right? Is it is it amazing grace, right? Do I need to hear Amazing Grace just for the moment, right? You know, or is it just something as simple as, you know, just I say a Bob Marley song, right? Like that can get you right into like that. I remember that vacation. I remember that time. I was I was fresh. I was free. I was enjoying life in the moment. Music brings you there.

SPEAKER_01 25:45

It does.

SPEAKER_05 25:45

You know?

SPEAKER_01 25:46

It really does. And I, you know, I have to say, it is a special day today. And for a lot of you guys that are like, so what does she do on a day like Good Friday? Yes. What does that look like?

SPEAKER_05 26:01

Ooh, for me as a faithful woman, with my two kiddos, typically it is going to church and doing a worship night. Okay. I am not singing. I will not sing, so don't worry. But I will in my car.

SPEAKER_02 26:14

Yes.

SPEAKER_05 26:15

I will praise the name every single day for the day that it is. Yeah. Because it is Good Friday. And um and you know, so many sacrifices led up to this day, and and and the just everything that we have in abundance, grace of greatness, was from this holy week.

SPEAKER_01 26:34

There's so much information out there that a lot of individuals they're still trying to make it make sense a lot of it because there's they feel some of it is a little confusing. Why we don't talk a whole lot of religion on a show, because the show is never about that. But you know, do you see now where more people are craving the information of understanding who God is?

SPEAKER_05 27:02

I think so. You know, and just and and and maybe it's the world that we live in, the social media, and there's different movies, right? The chosen, right? Kind of let people dive in a different kind of way of viewing it. Yeah. And then when they soar that, they're like, oh, this Bible verse does make sense.

SPEAKER_02 27:20

Right.

SPEAKER_05 27:21

I can understand that. Oh, maybe I do get strength from that.

SPEAKER_02 27:24

Right, right.

SPEAKER_05 27:25

So I know for me, yeah, going through a divorce, fear, anxiety, PTSD, having to reestablish my career, I only had one common thing there, which was my faith from my childhood that I was able to extend into my adulthood that grounded me in the moment of trauma. So I can't imagine what life would be without faith. I'm very happy that I don't have to imagine it in that essence.

SPEAKER_01 27:53

That's beautiful. I love that. I love that. And you've you've grown over the years from that, you know. We've moved now, going to almost 10 years. Yes. Wow. The kids are happy and everything now is good.

SPEAKER_05 28:08

My my yeah. My girls are fun.

SPEAKER_01 28:12

That's good.

SPEAKER_05 28:13

They are fun. That is a beautiful thing.

SPEAKER_01 28:15

Have you got a chance to take them up to Disney or Legoland? Yeah. Even a few times.

SPEAKER_05 28:20

Even on the day I was sent, oh, the month after I was sent here. Yeah. I made sure on November 3rd of that year. Yeah. I was sent to October 7th of 2017. So that November 3rd, I didn't want to be in a shelter to remind us of the trauma. Right, right. I actually did bring them to Legoland that year. Come on. And then every year forward, that is that week, as well as Presence Week, is when we go to some theme park.

SPEAKER_01 28:45

Yeah. You know, I gotta tell you, when I used to take my boys up there, they're like, Dad, you're supposed to bring us here for us to have fun. You having more fun than us having fun.

SPEAKER_05 28:54

I have more Mickey ears than them. I will look through them every day.

SPEAKER_01 29:01

It's a beautiful thing. Now, with the work that you're doing, still making sure you you have a balanced function as a mom and what that look like. Oh, yeah. How, like for individuals that are in those uh similar situations, what do you say to them that just kind of keep you going in a way that you're functioning?

SPEAKER_05 29:24

Yeah. Well, work-life balance for anyone, especially single moms.

SPEAKER_01 29:28

Right.

SPEAKER_05 29:28

Oh, it's difficult. Right. And then to be someone that's running a company with two children under high school level, right? It it brings a different dynamic of how can I do this? I I'm lucky that I have a board that understands that you know my work schedule can be right after the car line.

SPEAKER_02 29:46

Right.

SPEAKER_05 29:47

And then right, I finish at the next car line. And then I work again at night after dinner. Right. Right. I can, you know, and that might be.

SPEAKER_01 29:54

You got flexibility.

SPEAKER_05 29:55

Yeah, I have flexibility where I can go to a softball game for my kiddo. I can go to a dance, you know, weekend for my my daughter's competition. I I have to say I'm super stoked at my my ability and what I do, I can have that flexibility around my girls. I do also work for an organization that family is first, and my children get to be around every child that is in the program.

SPEAKER_04 30:21

Wow.

SPEAKER_05 30:21

So we we love doing family family vacations or family events. So I'll tell all my staff bring your kids. Yeah because we're all background checked. My kids have an NDA, and once they turn 12 years old, we get a background check for them as well.

SPEAKER_02 30:35

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 30:36

Just to be around, just for the safety of the girls that we support.

SPEAKER_03 30:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 30:39

And we jump all in. We went for a dolphin tour.

SPEAKER_03 30:43

Come on.

SPEAKER_05 30:43

Yes, less than a year ago. We went up to Tampa, we did an air Airbnb for all of us, plus family, plus the girls we serve. And they got to see the dynamics of different family lives, right? Yes, man. Different mom and dads working with their kids and how we all blended together.

SPEAKER_01 30:58

That's beautiful. That is great.

SPEAKER_05 31:00

So again.

SPEAKER_01 31:01

Now, does you have your siblings come down or your parents come down to to hang out with you?

SPEAKER_05 31:07

Absolutely. My mom comes often. Yeah. My mom comes so often. Anytime that I just say I need her, she's here.

SPEAKER_02 31:14

Beautiful.

SPEAKER_05 31:14

Yeah. She hasn't sold her house and got to Naples yet or or any of Southwest Florida. Right. But my brother keeps telling her we need to do it. Because my brother wants, he hopes to retire here.

SPEAKER_02 31:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 31:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 31:26

Wow.

SPEAKER_05 31:26

He's big in that. So I have a brother that's a pastor in Long Island. I'm sound to heaven church. He's amazing. And then I have a brother that's a retired detective. Okay. And then a sister as well. So I they would all love to move here, I hope, one day, but everyone's there.

SPEAKER_01 31:41

That's a beautiful thing. If there's one fruit that you could eat for five days of the week, which fruit would it be?

SPEAKER_05 31:49

I'm a mango girl. That was even best for my child was teething.

SPEAKER_01 31:56

A whole lot of mangoes.

SPEAKER_05 31:57

A whole lot of mangoes.

SPEAKER_01 31:58

Oh, that is amazing right there. Now, when it comes to animals, which animal would you say is your favorite animal?

SPEAKER_05 32:09

That's a tough one. That is a tough one. I want to say I'm more, you know, you know, an owl. Ooh. Yeah. Really? Yeah. Wow. Okay. Well, you know, and have having that dark, you know, like being being more aware. Yeah. And also very to themselves.

SPEAKER_01 32:30

Yeah. Someone say they can turn their head 360, but I don't know if I can handle it.

SPEAKER_05 32:35

I don't think I could do that.

SPEAKER_01 32:36

Yeah. They say a owl could look at you turn around and keep turning. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I would have to see that.

SPEAKER_05 32:46

Right? I don't know. So we we have an owl that stands right at it at the safe house that we have. It just stands on the light. Oh. And it's been there over 10 years. Wow. And it's it's yeah, it's a watcher. It during the day too. Yeah. Wow. Because sometimes you don't see them all during the day. Sometimes you do. And sometimes they don't like if you walk past. This one just just watches you.

SPEAKER_01 33:08

Yeah. Just hang out. Just you know, I got you.

SPEAKER_05 33:12

Yeah, I'll let you know if there's anyone lurking.

SPEAKER_01 33:14

Wow. I mean, you know, so right now, with you know, you being with two organizations and the the work that you're doing. And I I know we're far off from, you know, addressing the meat of a lot of the situations and why certain things have gotten to where it is now. But you think most of this is because it's so driven on money.

SPEAKER_05 33:41

Yeah. So human trafficking is over a billion-dollar industry. Come on. You know, it it is compared to the drug world where you might get caught a lot easier, right? There's different operations, there's more police funding for drug operations than there is for trafficking. Wow. So when there's more funding, will there be even more people rescued, right?

SPEAKER_02 34:03

Right.

SPEAKER_05 34:04

Possibly. But I really do think that because our world is so in our face with so much technology that it makes it easier to see the predators.

SPEAKER_02 34:14

Right.

SPEAKER_05 34:14

But one thing they'd say, and I was just at a Collier County's awareness and prevention with the task force there, they had said for every predator they find, there's typically about 13 victims behind that predator.

SPEAKER_02 34:27

Wow.

SPEAKER_05 34:27

But there's their predators are in the thousands being caught.

SPEAKER_02 34:31

Right, right.

SPEAKER_05 34:32

So what I see for referrals on a monthly basis is every other day I'm getting referral for a child that needs a bed.

SPEAKER_02 34:40

Right.

SPEAKER_05 34:40

There's so much more that still haven't been rescued. Only 1% is actually rescued. So these numbers are gonna climb. Yeah. Sadly.

SPEAKER_01 34:50

Let me ask you, and you know, you might be able to answer this question. You think it's risky when they release someone that is was maybe a pedophile or someone that have raped kids that they put back into society, which I think they do certain things where they have to notify where they're gonna be. You you think that's that's still a a a big risk of some of those people doing because I've I've heard that a lot of them are a part of this type of business.

SPEAKER_05 35:22

Yeah, I do. I do think it's at risk. Can you be can you change? Yes. Can you can you be one of the one percent that do get changed and live a different life than what you had done to someone else? It's possible.

SPEAKER_02 35:38

Right.

SPEAKER_05 35:39

But it's so hard to say that someone's not gonna do that crime again.

SPEAKER_02 35:44

Right.

SPEAKER_05 35:45

For me, I was found in 2023 again with a voter's registration, right? He went to a hurt me again, the kids, and Collier County had to then arrest him, put an ankle monitor in the county as well.

SPEAKER_02 35:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 35:59

So I know a repeat offender personally.

SPEAKER_02 36:02

Right.

SPEAKER_05 36:02

Right. So who's protecting these girls that don't have that the knowledge, the support, the ability to protect themselves from those that have and have done this?

SPEAKER_01 36:14

I mean, and it and it seemed like a lot of the support is limited, but when you keep fighting, stuff happened.

SPEAKER_05 36:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 36:23

You guys are getting ready to go into a second home as well.

SPEAKER_05 36:25

Yeah. Yes. Yeah. So we're we were we're expanding our capacity by double. We are in the midst of the licensing stage for that location. We've already got the keys.

SPEAKER_02 36:34

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 36:34

We were blessed by a donation by a furniture location. Clive Daniels homes furnished from the Lanai all the way to the bedrooms. Wow. Five bedroom house. Amazing. Three bathrooms, and he gave it all.

SPEAKER_01 36:49

Come on. That's amazing.

SPEAKER_05 36:51

And, you know, as a nonprofit, you're scared to like buy something that's $800, right? You're like, oh, I need three quotes. It's $800. My board's gonna need it. But then, you know, then you send an email to someone that just might hear your heart a little bit. And he sent a couch that was over $10,000 for these girls, showing their worth, right? The girls that come in on referral, it worth so much more than I know that I can afford to give them. Right? But like when you grab those community partners, you're able to do so much more. That is a and that's that's our biggest thing right now is building our community partners because we'll be able to continue to expand with that.

SPEAKER_01 37:32

Let me ask you, for young ladies that are because I was told sometimes some of these young ladies that are being trafficked are out here in the world as well. It's just that they're scared to talk about or ask for help because they don't know if they're gonna get what message would you say to them, you know, in case they're listening or watching?

SPEAKER_05 37:56

Be your voice. Speak up. Know that someone is enduring worse than what you think is really, really bad. And your actions can stop the next person being abused.

SPEAKER_02 38:09

Right.

SPEAKER_05 38:10

Right? So just be the voice and be heard. Yeah. Know that you're worthy of every word you speak.

SPEAKER_01 38:19

Yeah. You know, some would say the the scary part for a lot of individuals that don't do that is them thinking about what could happen to them when they do that.

SPEAKER_05 38:32

Yeah. Yes, yes. So fear is and and and when you hit a point in your brain of PTSD, your your mind kind of hallucinates to always being in that fight or flight, right? So reality seems really, really hard for those individuals.

SPEAKER_02 38:48

Right.

SPEAKER_05 38:49

But you know, I can tell you that it is worth it is worth the words. It is worth the scream for help. It is worth just to jump into your own reality and understand who you are, because I'm assuming I know I didn't know who I was.

SPEAKER_02 39:04

Right.

SPEAKER_05 39:05

Right. So once you identify yourself, yeah, you are able to do anything you want.

SPEAKER_01 39:09

Yeah. Wow. You a big fan of eating Italian food?

SPEAKER_05 39:14

I'm Italian, so yeah, you know, chicken parmesan from time to time. My mom's eggplant parmesan has to be the best. So that sauce is serious. Yeah, oh, my mom's sauce is on point. Uh she's gonna be messing with us.

SPEAKER_01 39:27

Did she teach you how to do that sauce?

SPEAKER_05 39:30

She she tried. Then when she saw me put sugar in it, she's like, nope.

SPEAKER_01 39:35

No, never.

SPEAKER_05 39:36

Don't, don't.

SPEAKER_01 39:36

You never do that again. Oh my goodness. Wow. That is amazing. Now, the relationship with your church family, how different is it from your ministry that you do family?

SPEAKER_05 39:50

You know, it's my church, which is outrageous, where I came leading in human trafficking, they still have that crew.

SPEAKER_02 39:59

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 40:00

They pour into us.

SPEAKER_02 40:01

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 40:01

They send volunteers to us and look walk alongside us. Okay. So there's really for me, there's no it's an extension of me and my hand. There's also other churches that do just that for our organization. Okay. Our girls go to Bible study, they go to just regular Sunday service, no different than any other family. That's awesome. And it's because of those church partners that we have.

SPEAKER_01 40:25

That's beautiful. I love that. I love that. If you was to say one thing to a predator, because you never know.

SPEAKER_05 40:38

We might have to edit this.

SPEAKER_01 40:39

We get them too.

SPEAKER_05 40:40

We get I don't know that I can say those words out loud. Okay. I will not, but no.

SPEAKER_01 40:47

But um, you know, for people that even even know of, you know, one of these type of people that's doing this stuff, and you could speak to their heart just for a change. What would that even sound like?

SPEAKER_05 41:02

However, you got into whatever you're doing today, it is not the path that you are not needing to transform other individuals as much as you need to transform yourself. Right. Look inward and and and pour outward in a better way. Yeah. Speak up for all that are just so much needed right now.

SPEAKER_01 41:27

Wow.

SPEAKER_05 41:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 41:28

Look inward and pour out for the better. Come on. That's a beautiful word right there. I like that. Yeah. Wow. You've hit me hot today. I wasn't ready. I was not ready, people. I know you guys weren't ready either, but you guys are welcome. You got uh quite a bit today as we go into the closing of the show for people that would like to support the ministry or what that looked like. What would that look like for now?

SPEAKER_05 41:55

Yes, so you can reach us at groundupministry.org. Uh there is plenty of information of who we are since 2016. You can reach out to our admin, which your telephone number is 239-406-1350. And we would love to connect, we'd love to have you pray for us, volunteer, or become a community partner.

SPEAKER_03 42:19

Come on.

SPEAKER_05 42:19

Yes, amazing. Walk beside us as we help raise children that are so deserving of being children. Yes. And taken from the trauma.

unknown 42:29

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 42:30

Well, there you go, guys. Until our next episode, we have another decorative guest right here at Yes Club, Kristen Russell. Yes. Yes, it was lovely having you on the show. This is beautiful. There you go, guys. Beautiful.