VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — President and Founder of EnJewel Naomi Estaris spoke recently about the constant need for donations.
Estaris told 13News Now she applied for a TEGNA Foundation grant, jokingly asking us to "put in a good word."
Little did she know, we had a check for $6,500 with the help from our parent company, TEGNA, right in plain view.
EnJewel isn't just the name of an organization, it stands for "Equality and Justice for Every Woman Every Land," Estaris started it in 2007 and over the years, it's grown to become a part of the community.
Organizers and volunteers work through events and educational sessions to inform people in Hampton Roads about what is happening right under their noses: human trafficking.
"It's definitely in our own backyard," said Estaris. "We use a phrase, 'hidden in plain sight.'"
Estaris and her volunteers work to get donations like clothing, blankets, furniture and even used cars to people who may need them.
She said she often deals with teenagers who run away from their homes because of unsafe living conditions.
She also helps young children and adults who are either survivors of human trafficking or are vulnerable to getting involved somehow.
Estaris said she often deals with grief, and she noticed a larger number of calls roll into her organization for help over the past few months.
"Probably in the September timeframe, we started getting an influx of calls. Kids are back in school," said Estaris. "Around the holidays, you get a lot more anxiety, hopelessness, helplessness, and our calls have been more around those who are survivors or 'runners.'"
Estaris says bringing an issue hidden in plain sight into the view of the community requires a lot of help both physically and financially.
"Always, you need money for different projects or different things that come about. For example, sometimes we'll get a random call about a person in need and we would need to find a way to get that person a safe hotel room to stay in overnight," Estaris explained. She continued with a slight laugh, saying, "Actually, we always try to get TEGNA Foundation to help us."
When 13News Now presented the check to Estaris, she was immediately overcome with joy and emotion, saying, "Oh my goodness, thank you so much! You're not supposed to get us to cry. I am blessed, our community is blessed and it will definitely help a lot of survivors."
Estaris says she plans to use the money to help her series of events in January during Human Trafficking Prevention Month to help raise awareness.
You can learn more about EnJewel and all of its upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, and donations on the organization's website.