April 14, 2025 • 12 mins
Mindy & Mikaela speak with Jen Taber/ Gracehaven Program Director and Erin Tate Strouse about a new building for Over the Edge!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
It's been a Sunday afternoon of old friends for Mindy
and I and we're ending with one that we do
well from Channel four, Aaron Tate Strauss in with Jen.
Is it Weber? I want to say Weber Tabor. There's
a couple Jen Weber's in my life too. So Jen
Tabor all about Grace Haven, and ultimately we'll also talk
about over the Edge.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Ladies. Welcome, thank you, thanks for having us. Maybe they
are as yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Man, I'm so sorry that I don't get to see
your faces, but hearing your voices is just as good.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
Well, we miss you being in studio, but we'll see
you soon, maybe repelling off the building, maybe we will.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
So, Jen, you are Grace Haven's program director and Grace Haven,
why don't you tell the audience for those who don't
know what Grace Haven is.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Grace Haven is an organization that works with youth and
families who have experienced trafficking or impacted by human tree trafficking.
We specifically work with youth ages eleven to the about
nineteen that transitional age, and we're working with kids who
primarily have been impacted by sex trafficking, but we also
(01:13):
work with kids who've been labor trafficked or have other
forms of human trafficking as well. And with it.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
You guys have been around, I mean Aaron and I
were talking before we came on air. You've been around
for a bit now, ten years with a physical location.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Yes, Yes, our residential facility has been open for ten
years now, serving females in the state of Ohio primarily,
and yes, we're looking to expand that as well to
include additional youth who we receive referrals for all the time.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
You know what, it is one of the biggest fears
that people would face human trafficking. So for you guys
to correlate that with going over the edge, the two
work so well hand in hand because it really is
about facing your fears and overcoming so many different obstacles
in life.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
Well, we do call it an extreme event for an
extreme need. Absolutely, and Jen you can answer this question too.
It's like eleven hundred known youth victims in the state
of Ohio every year for child tex trafficking, so you
know it's absolutely necessary that we provide the funds for
(02:28):
these critical services.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Absolutely. Yes, we primarily serve about one hundred and twenty
of those youth year to year, and we were looking
to be able to expand that because we receive referrals
on a regular basis, and in that we have done
some expanding within the community setting. We've now branched out
to the northern Ohio area as well as western Ohio.
(02:53):
We have some work going on in the southern part
of the state and anywhere else in the state. We're
out of Central Ohio. We're driving to them from our
hub in Central Ohio. So we would love to be
able to continue to expand that work as well as
our residential facility.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
So to Mindy's point, there is one and now I
know there's two from what you sent us earlier erin
a couple of different ways to raise money to help
you expand your footprint with more physical locations. It sounds
like jen and over the edge is what Mindy was
alluding to, and an extreme event for an extreme need.
So Aaron, what is over the edge and how can
people participate?
Speaker 4 (03:30):
So we jump off a perfectly good building in downtown Columbus.
We've been doing it for ten years now. This will
be our tenth annual charity Repel. It is a thrill
with a cause and actually, Mindy, you can talk too
about that because you've been on the roof with me
and Cammy, your.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Daughters are held with us.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
We're so grateful, and of course, anybody who is willing
to be a brave soul and go three hundred and
thirty feet off of you know, a downtown skyscraper is
a VIP in my book. But certainly when you have
someone like cam in the community that can help us
raise that awareness.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
A little bit higher, if you will.
Speaker 4 (04:11):
She was just great promoting that cause, so we really
are so grateful for that. We welcome anyone in the
community who is looking for that thrill or maybe they
are afraid of heights, but you know they're looking to
overcome their fear. We also need boots on the ground
volunteers to pull this off, or even at our Grace
Haven campus we do take teams of volunteers to help
(04:34):
with landscaping. So if you know repelling isn't your thing,
no worries. We will find a way to put you
to work. And we're really grateful for that. But of course,
corporate sponsors are huge to help us to pull this
off and to meet the needs for these kids statewide,
and I will say. Grace Haven is known for its
therapeutic residential campus. We are Ohio's longest standing therapeutic residential
(04:58):
group home for child six traffic survivors. But it's so
much more than that. Jen was talking about going out
in the community to the kids, to the boys and
the girls all over the state of Ohio. So we
do have that comprehensive community case management and then very
robust education program, don't we like in schools, and then
intervention training for any professionals. So if anybody out there
(05:20):
is looking to bring that knowledge to their workplace, to
a school or a church or classroom or a club,
you know, we have many points of possible engagement.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Lots of ways to engage in volunteer. Mindy, what was
it like. I remember when you and Cammy went to
do this. I remember the stories you were telling me.
Cammy went over and you were telling me what it
was like to watch her.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
Go over exactly, and you know what, she had no
fear and I did. I'm thinking, oh my gosh, I'm
watching my daughter literally go over the edge of this building.
What if something snaps, What if something goes wrong? Because
that's what moms do. Nice worst case scenario. That's right,
different level. Just to be able to be on top
(06:03):
of this building. Who gets that opportunity to look out
at downtown Columbus and beyond at a whole other level
that you never get the chance to see those visuals before.
It's so extreme to be part of that, just to
see these people doing it, and then to actually go
over the edge and know that you're doing it for
such a great cause. I remember interviewing Cammy after that
(06:26):
and talking to the people who volunteered and helped. There's
so much meaning behind it because a lot of it
really is. Yeah, this is facing a fear, but it
is nothing compared to what victims of human trafficking have
to face at no choice of their own. A lot
of these people who are going over the edge chose
to do that to make a difference, But you really
(06:48):
can't compare the two.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
That's true.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
June thirteenth, twenty twenty five. That is the next one.
It's a Friday, and you know spaces are limited.
Speaker 4 (06:59):
It sounds like for that I have just about one
hundred slot. So don't wait. If you're thinking about it,
now is a great time to pledge the edge. If
you will go ahead to our website, Grace Haven Overtheedge
dot com. Sign yourself up, sign up a team, maybe
take your coworkers with you or you know, we have
schools that have you know, pushed their principal or you
(07:23):
toss your boss. You know, you can make it a
fun thing if you will.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Do it.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
You've lived to tell the tale many times now, right,
and so absolutely lots of opportunity to engage. You don't
have to do it alone, right, And if you're interested
in other ways to get involved with us, we do
have a benefit concert coming up.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Tell us about that.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Whole music studio style of music studio is putting on
a benefit concert for us at El Dorado's across from
the Graceland Shopping Center in Columbus on May ninth. So
that's another great opportunity if you're more into music than
you are to repelling. But and then this week we
have an inspira inspirational lunch and learn. Would you like
(08:08):
to tell us a little bit about Be the Story.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Yeah, we have Be the Story Lunch and where youth
get to share the impact that the different ministries with
Central Ohio Youth for Christ and Grace Haven have had
on them and and it's a great time of just
getting to know our partners, getting to know people who
want to be engaged in the mission with us. And yeah,
(08:31):
we would welcome anybody to come on out and register
if they would like. Can you remind me of the Yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
Sure, well I would say rs VP tonight if you can't,
just because we're trying to make those final arrangements. So
it's either dinner Tuesday night or Wednesday lunch and you
go to Grace Havenohio dot org. So that's Grace Haven
O Hio dot o RG and you can register there and.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
I take it you can really get a hold of
any of these events or volunteer opportunities on that website
as well.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
And we're high hiring as well, so we'd love people
in the community who are maybe thinking about that career change.
I heard you talking with a friend earlier in the
program today about that. There's some wonderful opportunities to work
with Grace Haven as well.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
Yeah, what kind of opportunities are you looking for, Like,
what kind of jobs are open.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
We're looking for people who are compassionate caregivers who have
an interest in the mission as well as working with
youth who've experienced a pretty extensive amount of trauma, and
so in order to provide care to an additional for youth,
we are going to be actively hiring for twenty four
(09:40):
hour care, multiple caregivers per shift, and so we're about
to launch a campaign for that. So that's primarily what
we're looking for at this time, and we'd be excited
to talk with anybody who is interested in yeah, being
a part of part of our team.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
You know, maybe I'm always reminded when we have these
conversations that sex and labor trafficking don't look like the
mysterious white van that's next to you in a Walmart
part parking lot. These are folks that are being groomed unfortunately, desperately,
unfortunately actually in their own communities, and they're in our neighborhoods.
I just wanted to mention that because I feel like
people don't understand the whole picture and why Grace Haven
(10:20):
is needed to take these folks and give them a
safe spot.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Jen that's accurate. Yeah, they come from all different areas
of the state and doesn't discriminate by zip code. It's everywhere,
and a lot of the youth that we work with.
They don't know that they've been traffic. They don't understand
what it is that has happened to them. That's a
part of the trauma itself, and we work with them
(10:44):
to help them. We've described it as like unmasking some
of the con games that are involved in grooming youth,
and so that's a big part of the work that
we get to do, and it's a big part of
the work that our direct care staff also gets to
do on a daily basis, because they get to see
kind of how that plays out and how they relate
and how they talk with their family and how they
(11:06):
play or don't know how to play as a child
and things like that. So it's it's probably one of
the most meaningful positions I think we have. I got
to do it this weekend, and I'm like, my heart
is so full from just the six hours I got
to spend with the girls that we work with.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
Mindy, I think it's overwhelming to think about it, but
it's so good to know that organizations like Grace Haven exist,
and you guys have been one of the originals. I mean, Mindy,
you know we talk so much about it. A Channel
four ten fifteen years ago, right, one hundred percent.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
And I think that when people think of sex trafficking
right away, you think of the movies like Taking, But
that is just such a small sample of really what's
going on. So kudos to you guys for making a
difference and making them not victims but survivors.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
That's right, guys. Thank you for coming in. Thank you
for being on put out the websites you want people
to check out again, Eric.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
Yeah, absolutely, Grace Haven Ohio spelled ohio dot org and
also Grace Haven over the Edge dot com. To repel
for a reason.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Repel for a reason, ladies, thank you so much, thank you,
thank you.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
For having me.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
Thanks Mindy, Thanks guys. Sorry that I wasn't able to
be in there, but you sound great next time.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
Next time, we'll see you in June.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
There you go.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
This is what Matters on six ten WTVN.
It's been a Sunday afternoon of old friends for Mindy
and I and we're ending with one that we do
well from Channel four, Aaron Tate Strauss in with Jen.
Is it Weber? I want to say Weber Tabor. There's
a couple Jen Weber's in my life too. So Jen
Tabor all about Grace Haven, and ultimately we'll also talk
about over the Edge.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Ladies. Welcome, thank you, thanks for having us. Maybe they
are as yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Man, I'm so sorry that I don't get to see
your faces, but hearing your voices is just as good.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
Well, we miss you being in studio, but we'll see
you soon, maybe repelling off the building, maybe we will.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
So, Jen, you are Grace Haven's program director and Grace Haven,
why don't you tell the audience for those who don't
know what Grace Haven is.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Grace Haven is an organization that works with youth and
families who have experienced trafficking or impacted by human tree trafficking.
We specifically work with youth ages eleven to the about
nineteen that transitional age, and we're working with kids who
primarily have been impacted by sex trafficking, but we also
(01:13):
work with kids who've been labor trafficked or have other
forms of human trafficking as well. And with it.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
You guys have been around, I mean Aaron and I
were talking before we came on air. You've been around
for a bit now, ten years with a physical location.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Yes, Yes, our residential facility has been open for ten
years now, serving females in the state of Ohio primarily,
and yes, we're looking to expand that as well to
include additional youth who we receive referrals for all the time.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
You know what, it is one of the biggest fears
that people would face human trafficking. So for you guys
to correlate that with going over the edge, the two
work so well hand in hand because it really is
about facing your fears and overcoming so many different obstacles
in life.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
Well, we do call it an extreme event for an
extreme need. Absolutely, and Jen you can answer this question too.
It's like eleven hundred known youth victims in the state
of Ohio every year for child tex trafficking, so you
know it's absolutely necessary that we provide the funds for
(02:28):
these critical services.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Absolutely. Yes, we primarily serve about one hundred and twenty
of those youth year to year, and we were looking
to be able to expand that because we receive referrals
on a regular basis, and in that we have done
some expanding within the community setting. We've now branched out
to the northern Ohio area as well as western Ohio.
(02:53):
We have some work going on in the southern part
of the state and anywhere else in the state. We're
out of Central Ohio. We're driving to them from our
hub in Central Ohio. So we would love to be
able to continue to expand that work as well as
our residential facility.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
So to Mindy's point, there is one and now I
know there's two from what you sent us earlier erin
a couple of different ways to raise money to help
you expand your footprint with more physical locations. It sounds
like jen and over the edge is what Mindy was
alluding to, and an extreme event for an extreme need.
So Aaron, what is over the edge and how can
people participate?
Speaker 4 (03:30):
So we jump off a perfectly good building in downtown Columbus.
We've been doing it for ten years now. This will
be our tenth annual charity Repel. It is a thrill
with a cause and actually, Mindy, you can talk too
about that because you've been on the roof with me
and Cammy, your.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Daughters are held with us.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
We're so grateful, and of course, anybody who is willing
to be a brave soul and go three hundred and
thirty feet off of you know, a downtown skyscraper is
a VIP in my book. But certainly when you have
someone like cam in the community that can help us
raise that awareness.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
A little bit higher, if you will.
Speaker 4 (04:11):
She was just great promoting that cause, so we really
are so grateful for that. We welcome anyone in the
community who is looking for that thrill or maybe they
are afraid of heights, but you know they're looking to
overcome their fear. We also need boots on the ground
volunteers to pull this off, or even at our Grace
Haven campus we do take teams of volunteers to help
(04:34):
with landscaping. So if you know repelling isn't your thing,
no worries. We will find a way to put you
to work. And we're really grateful for that. But of course,
corporate sponsors are huge to help us to pull this
off and to meet the needs for these kids statewide,
and I will say. Grace Haven is known for its
therapeutic residential campus. We are Ohio's longest standing therapeutic residential
(04:58):
group home for child six traffic survivors. But it's so
much more than that. Jen was talking about going out
in the community to the kids, to the boys and
the girls all over the state of Ohio. So we
do have that comprehensive community case management and then very
robust education program, don't we like in schools, and then
intervention training for any professionals. So if anybody out there
(05:20):
is looking to bring that knowledge to their workplace, to
a school or a church or classroom or a club,
you know, we have many points of possible engagement.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Lots of ways to engage in volunteer. Mindy, what was
it like. I remember when you and Cammy went to
do this. I remember the stories you were telling me.
Cammy went over and you were telling me what it
was like to watch her.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
Go over exactly, and you know what, she had no
fear and I did. I'm thinking, oh my gosh, I'm
watching my daughter literally go over the edge of this building.
What if something snaps, What if something goes wrong? Because
that's what moms do. Nice worst case scenario. That's right,
different level. Just to be able to be on top
(06:03):
of this building. Who gets that opportunity to look out
at downtown Columbus and beyond at a whole other level
that you never get the chance to see those visuals before.
It's so extreme to be part of that, just to
see these people doing it, and then to actually go
over the edge and know that you're doing it for
such a great cause. I remember interviewing Cammy after that
(06:26):
and talking to the people who volunteered and helped. There's
so much meaning behind it because a lot of it
really is. Yeah, this is facing a fear, but it
is nothing compared to what victims of human trafficking have
to face at no choice of their own. A lot
of these people who are going over the edge chose
to do that to make a difference, But you really
(06:48):
can't compare the two.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
That's true.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
June thirteenth, twenty twenty five. That is the next one.
It's a Friday, and you know spaces are limited.
Speaker 4 (06:59):
It sounds like for that I have just about one
hundred slot. So don't wait. If you're thinking about it,
now is a great time to pledge the edge. If
you will go ahead to our website, Grace Haven Overtheedge
dot com. Sign yourself up, sign up a team, maybe
take your coworkers with you or you know, we have
schools that have you know, pushed their principal or you
(07:23):
toss your boss. You know, you can make it a
fun thing if you will.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Do it.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
You've lived to tell the tale many times now, right,
and so absolutely lots of opportunity to engage. You don't
have to do it alone, right, And if you're interested
in other ways to get involved with us, we do
have a benefit concert coming up.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Tell us about that.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Whole music studio style of music studio is putting on
a benefit concert for us at El Dorado's across from
the Graceland Shopping Center in Columbus on May ninth. So
that's another great opportunity if you're more into music than
you are to repelling. But and then this week we
have an inspira inspirational lunch and learn. Would you like
(08:08):
to tell us a little bit about Be the Story.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Yeah, we have Be the Story Lunch and where youth
get to share the impact that the different ministries with
Central Ohio Youth for Christ and Grace Haven have had
on them and and it's a great time of just
getting to know our partners, getting to know people who
want to be engaged in the mission with us. And yeah,
(08:31):
we would welcome anybody to come on out and register
if they would like. Can you remind me of the Yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
Sure, well I would say rs VP tonight if you can't,
just because we're trying to make those final arrangements. So
it's either dinner Tuesday night or Wednesday lunch and you
go to Grace Havenohio dot org. So that's Grace Haven
O Hio dot o RG and you can register there and.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
I take it you can really get a hold of
any of these events or volunteer opportunities on that website
as well.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
And we're high hiring as well, so we'd love people
in the community who are maybe thinking about that career change.
I heard you talking with a friend earlier in the
program today about that. There's some wonderful opportunities to work
with Grace Haven as well.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
Yeah, what kind of opportunities are you looking for, Like,
what kind of jobs are open.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
We're looking for people who are compassionate caregivers who have
an interest in the mission as well as working with
youth who've experienced a pretty extensive amount of trauma, and
so in order to provide care to an additional for youth,
we are going to be actively hiring for twenty four
(09:40):
hour care, multiple caregivers per shift, and so we're about
to launch a campaign for that. So that's primarily what
we're looking for at this time, and we'd be excited
to talk with anybody who is interested in yeah, being
a part of part of our team.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
You know, maybe I'm always reminded when we have these
conversations that sex and labor trafficking don't look like the
mysterious white van that's next to you in a Walmart
part parking lot. These are folks that are being groomed unfortunately, desperately,
unfortunately actually in their own communities, and they're in our neighborhoods.
I just wanted to mention that because I feel like
people don't understand the whole picture and why Grace Haven
(10:20):
is needed to take these folks and give them a
safe spot.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Jen that's accurate. Yeah, they come from all different areas
of the state and doesn't discriminate by zip code. It's everywhere,
and a lot of the youth that we work with.
They don't know that they've been traffic. They don't understand
what it is that has happened to them. That's a
part of the trauma itself, and we work with them
(10:44):
to help them. We've described it as like unmasking some
of the con games that are involved in grooming youth,
and so that's a big part of the work that
we get to do, and it's a big part of
the work that our direct care staff also gets to
do on a daily basis, because they get to see
kind of how that plays out and how they relate
and how they talk with their family and how they
(11:06):
play or don't know how to play as a child
and things like that. So it's it's probably one of
the most meaningful positions I think we have. I got
to do it this weekend, and I'm like, my heart
is so full from just the six hours I got
to spend with the girls that we work with.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
Mindy, I think it's overwhelming to think about it, but
it's so good to know that organizations like Grace Haven exist,
and you guys have been one of the originals. I mean, Mindy,
you know we talk so much about it. A Channel
four ten fifteen years ago, right, one hundred percent.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
And I think that when people think of sex trafficking
right away, you think of the movies like Taking, But
that is just such a small sample of really what's
going on. So kudos to you guys for making a
difference and making them not victims but survivors.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
That's right, guys. Thank you for coming in. Thank you
for being on put out the websites you want people
to check out again, Eric.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
Yeah, absolutely, Grace Haven Ohio spelled ohio dot org and
also Grace Haven over the Edge dot com. To repel
for a reason.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Repel for a reason, ladies, thank you so much, thank you,
thank you.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
For having me.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
Thanks Mindy, Thanks guys. Sorry that I wasn't able to
be in there, but you sound great next time.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
Next time, we'll see you in June.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
There you go.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
This is what Matters on six ten WTVN.
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