Originally from Panama City, Nicole Phillips-Rice founded Lavished Ministries Inc. in 2014. “The mission is to affirm hope and restore positive futures to survivors of sexual exploitation and sex trafficking,” she explains, “by providing a faith-based, trauma-informed approach to serving women through direct services and the coordination of community resources.” At the age of 17 Nicole had been watching a TV show about an escort in Las Vegas. “The interview was of a woman who was sharing her story of how she survived human trafficking. Soon, I became immersed in the woman’s story as she shared her experiences. Feeling a deep burden, I realized that I wanted to help women escape their life-dominating circumstances. The name of the ministry is taken from 1 John 3:1 ‘How great the Father's love that he has lavished upon us, so that we all may be called 'the children of God!'"

 

Nicole and two other women began visiting every strip club in Panama City. They shared Christmas gifts with the entertainers, managers, and staff. “I gathered a team of women, and we started doing outreaches into vulnerable areas of our community. We shared compassion and a simple message of hope and healing. They were very receptive.”

 

Each holiday after, they continued doing the same trips to give gifts and no-strings attached love. “Six months later, I received a phone call from a woman we had met during outreach who was desperate to leave her trafficker. I knew that we had to help her and quickly began to assemble a network of resources. Soon after, more women came to our team seeking help. We began to build a vast network of resources, including food banks, housing assistance, mental health services and legal aid. We also began working collaboratively with other ministries and organizations to serve women who needed better assistance. Lavished Ministries hit a new season of growth and Divine favor.”

 

Over the past ten years, they have made over 15,000 points of contact with individuals impacted by the commercial sex industry. “In addition, some women who Lavished Ministries have directly helped are now serving alongside us on the front lines, ministering to new women who reach out for assistance.”

 

By coordinating with the community and having a personal connection with law enforcement agencies the ministry has assisted in numerous ways. “We have ‘The Dream Program’ which is a transformative, 16-week Lavished Ministries mentoring program for survivors of sexual exploitation or sex trafficking. It encourages those ages 18 and older to dream BIG for their lives! Woman in our weekly, 1-on-1 mentoring sessions participate in goal setting to establish accountability as they positively progress though their lives. Mentoring sessions can include topics such as: codependent behaviors, red-flag indicators, healthy boundaries, and life-skill development. We provide a faith-based, survivor-led atmosphere for survivors. We offer spiritual and emotional support through our survivor advocates who have lived experience of being in the sex industry and/or being trafficked. Our team provides case management, encouragement, and a listening ear. We invite women to share their stories and current struggles over a cup of coffee, dinner, or by visiting our office. Our program helps women rediscover themselves and dream of new futures.”

     

The ministry’s mission is to assist rather than enable and are 100% funded by private donations. “Our vision is to provide wrap-around support for every woman who has survived sexual exploitation or sex trafficking. We believe we can create a world where every survivor is surrounded by an educated community, knowledgeable service providers and safe housing options.”  They hold events throughout the year to raise money and donations can be made on the website.

 

For more information call (850) 960-8498 or visit lavishedministries.com.