June is National Outdoors Month, and we want to challenge you to hike, run, bike, or paddle 45 miles in support of the incredible 45 survivors of human trafficking we've got the privilege of serving over this next year!

Freedom Summit Adventures is a 501c3 nonprofit organization, based in Grand Rapids, MI. We summit mountains with survivors across the country as the physical representation of the emotional and spiritual "mountains" they've been climbing. We partner with safe houses in Michigan, Kentucky, Alaska, and California, providing weekend getaways at absolutely no cost to the women they serve, or the programs themselves. 

Over the course of our time together, we do something physical outdoors, accomplishing something hard together, proving that it's more fun to heal within a supportive community of women. 

We recently hosted a retreat for a safe house out of San Diego, CA. We had one woman who didn't want to go on the hike at all when we arrived. There was a river crossing we weren't anticipating at the very beginning, and it was almost the end of her hiking journey that day. On multiple occasions on the 3-mile trek to Eagle Rock on the Pacific Crest Trail, she was ready to give up entirely. Even asking a few of our leaders if she could turn back and meet us at the car. 

Once she got to the end, and stood at the summit of this smaller mountain, she was visibly different. She was so excited that she had just accomplished this huge hike. On the 3 miles back, she was toward the beginning of the pack, and was all smiles. 

During our last session together, the program director for this safe house had the women share with us what they enjoyed most, and this same woman was the first to share. She told us that after that 6 mile hike, she felt like she could do anything. That she has struggled in the past to feel like she could do hard things, and was leaving feeling empowered and ready to tackle her next season of healing. 

That is why we do what we do - to prove that we CAN do hard things. And, it's more fun to heal within a supportive community of women. 

We also focus on nutrition education, art therapy, and other trauma-informed coping mechanisms to teach that fun side of healing - we simply want women to leave with a few more tools in her toolbox when it comes to handling daily anxiety, Complex-PTSD and depression. 

We talk a LOT about lament and prayer at our retreats. How to approach a God you don’t understand, and how to bring our complaints to the Lord in a way that glorifies Him. 

We've had women who have been significantly abused by the church, and leaders of the church. These are women who can barely utter Jesus' name who learn at our retreats how to approach him - even in our anger. 

We also provide hair cuts/styles, mini facials, trauma-informed massage, and professional headshots at our retreats, depending on what the safe house requests. 

Our safe house partners across the country don't have the resources to put on these retreats for the women they serve. They don't have excess funds for an elaborate weekend getaway. Working with trauma is hard enough. Our goal is to provide rest & refreshment for both the staff and the clients of safe houses across the country. 

Turn-over is extremely high in this industry - most staff members at safe houses only stay for an average of two years before burn out takes over. Our goal is to give them strength for the journey, and encourage new rhythms that foster a deeper sense of community, and longevity. 

Our Alaska program director said that they were beyond grateful for the space our team provided for them to connect to their clients in a new way. Another program director said, "We have built better relationships, gained new friendships, and have grown in so many ways. You all were a gift to us and have created memories that we will remember for a lifetime. The women and staff are still talking about it and how much of an impact it has had on us all."

We have a passion to see women thrive after sexual abuse, and we couldn't do this important work without you.

Healing doesn't always have to be so heavy, and that's why we do what we do. 

Get outside this month. Tell your friends about why you're hiking/running/biking/paddling 45 miles. It costs between $900 and $1,000 to send one survivor on one of our weekend getaways. We are 20 scholarships short of our goal, and we need your help.

Thank you so much for partnering with us as we seek to send 45 women through our program over the next year. We are so humbled by your generosity and can't wait to see how we can come alongside survivors of human trafficking across the country - together.

Every participant who raises $250 or more will receive a Freedom Summit Adventures tote bag with a sticker pack from us as a thank you!