The Simmons and Fletcher Local Missions Podcast
Want to find a Houston-area place to volunteer that is right for you? Listen along as your host Paul H. Cannon interviews local Houston-area mission leaders and participants about their mission and how you can be a part of something bigger right here in Houston, Texas.
When Paul H. Cannon was in his late 20s, He was the missions coordinator for a bible study class of 165 people at Second Baptist Westway Campus in Houston. One of the challenges he ran across was finding local mission projects for the class to participate in. "If only there was a website where you could go and learn about a large group of opportunities at once," Paul thought.
It was from this idea that Meet Houston Missions was born. As a partner and the marketing manager for Simmons and Fletcher, P.C., Injury & Accident Lawyers, Paul now had the means to create what he was missing. It started out as a simple series of Zoom videos and has not evolved into a weekly podcast.
If you are in the Greater Houston Area and a Mission looking for volunteers, I want to talk to you! If you are someone in the GHA who needs volunteer hours for a school group, or church group project, or you just want to be a part of something bigger, this show is for you.
Follow our podcast and visit: https://www.simmonsandfletcher.com/meet-houston-missions/ to learn about the opportunities that are literally surrounding you!
Meet Houston Missions guests do not have to be affiliated with any group or religion. If your organization is boot-on-the-ground helping people in our area, email Paul at pcannon@simmonsandfletcher.com for guest opportunities.
Simmons and Fletcher, P.C., Injury & Accident Lawyers is a personal injury law firm based in Houston, Texas. Learn more about the firm at: https://www.simmonsandfletcher.com. It has been serving the Houston community since 1979.
The Simmons and Fletcher Local Missions Podcast
Meet Houston Missions: Texas Gulf Coast Refuge for Women
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
On Meet Houston Missions and The Simmons and Fletcher Local Missions Podcast, your host, Paul Cannon, talks with Miranda Corn, the Executive Director for the Texas Gulf Coast Refuge for Women. Refuge for Women was founded in 2009 when the founder, Ked Frank, recognized that despite there being over 100,000 victims of sexual trafficking in the U.S., there were fewer than 1,000 beds for long-term recovery available to trafficking victims. Upon learning that there were not many places for sex trafficking victims to turn to, he decided to form Refuge for Women. Refuge for Women aims to offer women who have escaped sex trafficking or sexual exploitation the hope, support, and tools needed to live a life of freedom. The mission offers women a multi-year continuum of care program to help them work through and heal from their abuse and empower them to live their lives with dignity and hope.
Texas Gulf Coast Refuge for Women Multi-Year Continuum of Care Program
The Texas Gulf Coast Refuge for Women offers a multi-year continuum of care program for women who have escaped sex trafficking or sexual exploitation. The program begins with the Emergency House Program, a program that offers victims up to 90 days of housing and services. After residents have completed the Emergency House Program, they move into the Long-Term Program, which lasts for up to 12 months. Upon graduating from the long-term program, women can choose to move into a Transitional Living home. Refuge for Women’s Transitional Living homes provide women with continued physical and mental health services and addiction recovery support, while offering women the opportunity to live alone and work.
Volunteer Opportunities
With a staff of only 15 people, Texas Gulf Coast Refuge for Women relies heavily on volunteers. As a faith-based organization helping women with long-term recovery from sexual trafficking situations, this would be a good opportunity for churches, teachers, older teens, and adults to volunteer.
Other Ways to Help
One way you can help is by sponsoring a room. The sponsored rooms are the rooms where the residents will spend their time doing daily activities and working through the trauma they experienced. If you sponsor a room, there will be a plaque displaying the sponsor’s name and a Bible verse selected by the sponsor to acknowledge the sponsorship. This is a 12-month sponsorship, and sponsors will have the opportunity to renew their sponsorship at the end of the 12 months. Another way to help is by attending the organization’s fundraisers. Texas Gulf Coast Refuge for Women hosts a Spring Gala to empower survivors on their journey to a new life. This gala is an evening of fun, fellowship, and fundraising that the whole family can enjoy. You can also visit the website and donate to the cause.
Contact and Info
The website address is https://refugeforwomen.org/texasgulfcoast/. On the site, you can find more information about the mission, upcoming events, how to donate, and how to sign up for volunteer opportunities.
Refuge for Women, Texas Gulf Coast is a 501©(3) non-profit organization. All donations made are tax-deductible as per the IRS guidelines.
Meet Houston Missions and The Simmons and Fletcher Local Missions Podcast is presented by Simmons and Fletcher, P.C. Injury & Accident Lawyers. Paul H. Cannon is a partner in the firm.
