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A resolution honoring the 25th Anniversary of Thistle Farms.
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WHEREAS, Nashville's own Thistle Farms is a nonprofit social enterprise dedicated to helping women survivors recover and heal from prostitution, trafficking, and addiction; and
WHEREAS, in 1997, Rev. Becca Stevens and a group of volunteers became what was then known as the Magdalene House - a residential program where women seeking safety and recovery from commercial sexual exploitation and addiction could learn; and
WHEREAS, the program concept that continues to this day is that residents do not have to pay to become a resident, which includes 2-years of housing and healing, with no authority living in the house, and a variety of classes including financial literacy and job readiness; and
WHEREAS, in the past 25 years, 156 women have graduated from the Thistle Farms program; and
WHEREAS, Thistle Farms now hosts 32 beds in 6 residential homes in Nashville for the two year program; and
WHEREAS, in addition to the residential homes, Thistle Farms opened the first safe house in Middle Tennessee with four beds dedicated to helping trafficking survivors find short-term, emergency housing; and
WHEREAS, Thistle Farms has inspired a network of direct service organizations across the country who help women in need in the spirit of our model; and
WHEREAS, in 2001, Thistle Farms started their first social enterprise in the basements of local churches, making candles and balms, thereby creating a path for residents of the program to achieve financial independence and a stable job history while in healing and recovery; and
WHEREAS, Thistle Farms' social enterprise has grown exponentially, with the organization moving into a new, 22,000+ square foot manufacturing facility in West Nashville in early 2022 and producing products that are now sold in 642 Wholesale locations across the county; and
WHEREAS, in 2014, Thistle Farms' social enterprises expanded to address commercial sexual exploitation a...
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