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"You crown the year with Your goodness. Your paths overflow with rich food."
~Psalm 65:11
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We are so grateful to all of you who contributed to our End of Year Gift Campaign. You are truly making a difference in the lives of our survivors and their families.
We were able to double the impact of your donations thanks to some very generous donors that matched our End of Year donations (up to $25,000).
Because of your generosity, survivors receive the shelter and care they need to heal and rebuild their lives. We cannot do this important work without the support of a community that believes it is never too late to start over.
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2024 BLOOM BOARD OF DIRECTORS... | |
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Lorri Tomko, DMD, M.B.A.,
Board Chair
Marta Gabriel, M.P.S.
Julia Kocis, M.C.J.
Dinoli Rowlands, M.B.A.
Ernie Stiegler, M.B.A.
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Mark Sessanta,
Board Treasurer
Karen Higgins
Heather LaBarre, LCSW, Ph.D.
Meloney Sallie-Dosunmu, M.B.A.
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Jessica Armstrong, Esq. Immediate Past Chair
Mark Koch, OTD, OTR/L
Theresa McQueen
Tiffany Sondergaard
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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 few months:
- Two participants celebrated six months of recovery and six months at Bloom
- Two participants celebrated one year at Bloom
- We celebrated four birthdays
- Three survivors completed the Flourish job readiness program
- Eight ladies participated in the Voices of Survivors photo exhibit during LVAT Week
- Three participants won survivor leadership awards at the LVAT Survivor Breakfast Awards Ceremony
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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:
- Cleaning supplies
- Tiered shelving
- Car for a participant
- 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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June 1, 2024
Highmark Walk
DeSales University
Bloom is a Participating
Non-profit
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September
Bloom for Women
Celebration
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May 6, 2024
Bloom Annual Golf Outing
Brookside Country Club
Macungie, PA
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November 2-8, 2024
Lehigh Valley Anti-Trafficking Awareness Week
Numerous Events
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December 2024
DIY Holiday Centerpiece Workshop
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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:
February 12, March 11, April 8, May 13, and so on.
If you are interested in joining us for prayer,
please email us.
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Carol Andersen, CEO
To start off the New Year, we are proud to share with you the story of optimism, hard work and vision behind the creation of what is now Bloom for Women. That story belongs to our CEO, Carol Andersen.
Many of you may feel you’ve gotten to know Carol from countless interviews of her on Lehigh Valley television, newspapers and magazines. As CEO, Carol is the “face” of Bloom, the most fervent champion of Bloom’s mission, and our no-holds barred leader who has absolutely no qualms about forcing the issue in polite company that the existence of human trafficking in our own back yard is very real.
Carol first became aware of the horrors of sex trafficking way back when she was a foster mom. “As I met the moms of the babies placed in my care, they shared some of their stories with me – their lives were so hard, and several of them were trafficked locally and/or victims of ‘survivor sex,’ using sex as an exchange for shelter, food or drugs. I was so disturbed that this was happening in my own community, close to where I lived. These moms wanted to be good moms, but they didn’t have the capacity to do so, given their circumstances. The realization that I could have been like them through circumstances out of my control weighed on me. As I learned more about the effects of traumatic experiences and events, I realized these moms were victims of circumstances rather than women who were choosing to relinquish the opportunity of being a mom.”
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Annual Sponsorships Now Available | |
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Bloom is now offering Annual Sponsorships for 2024. These packages provide individuals and organizations with the opportunity to provide Bloom with on-going support throughout the year and also receive year-round recognition as a philanthropic leader in the Lehigh Valley.
Annual Sponsors will be recognized at both of Bloom's major fundraising events, our Annual Golf Outing in May and our Freedom Benefit Dinner in October.
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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! Click here to learn more.
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VIP Only Sale!
January 15 - 20
20% off all
full-price purses
(excludes Bloom totes)
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January Sale!
January 22 - 27
15% off all full-price tops/jackets
(excludes Bloom tops)
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Bloom Sweatshirts Available!
Handmade by survivors at our Creative Studio. Grab yours before they’re gone!
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Volunteers Needed!
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday mornings.
| Donations are Being Accepted | |
Please check our website for details on what we will and will not accept.
We are currently only accepting fall and winter clothing.
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Happy 2024 from Bloom Creative Studio! If you haven’t ever visited the Studio, put it on your 2024 Bucket List and come get creative.
The Studio offers a variety of creative opportunities from classes to Open Studio where you can decide what project you would like to do. Pottery wheels can be used if you have experience otherwise sign up for one of our beginners classes by calling the Studio. We also have glass fusion, glass mosaics, hand building with clay, materials for jewelry making, kids art, and so much to explore.
Keep your eyes open for some new classes in January/February. We are planning on doing a glass mosaic class as well as a needle felting class and then in February we will be offering a four-week wood burning class on Tuesday evenings - the same night as we have Open Clay Studio. The more the merrier!
Our Kids Art Program is adding another day, Thursdays 3:30-5:00 and Saturday 10:30-Noon. This is a fun time as we explore many mediums of art.
We are currently looking for donations of used hair dryers that can be used to dry paint, old towels and a Dremel tool.
Last but not least, we have a very cute gift shop with items that are made by residents in our program and several artists that teach classes at the Studio.
Come check us out 34 Broadway in Bangor.
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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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