Poiema Foundation - Education and Public Awareness of Human Trafficking

Poiema

(pronounced poy-ay-ma)

Poiema is a Greek word meaning 'handiwork' found in Ephesians 2:10:
"For we are God’s handiwork (poiema), created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Why We Fight
Human Trafficking

Our Story

After watching a documentary about innocent children sold into sexual slavery internationally, Rebecca Jowers was ready to move her entire world to help them. As a wife, a mother of four daughters, and a student at Dallas Theological Seminary, such a move was unrealistic. Nevertheless, a God-inspired passion gripped her heart and would not let go.

Two years of research on the subject of human trafficking revealed a rampant problem here in the United States. In our cities and neighborhoods, human trafficking has no borders, no matter the economics. Rebecca didn’t have to move her entire world; the need was right down the street. With the vision of raising public awareness, reaching and educating the vulnerable, and ultimately opening a safe house, Rebecca created the Poiema Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Our Vision

Poiema imagines a world where sexual abuse and exploitation are not tolerated; where those that have been sexually abused and exploited receive safe housing and long-term trauma-informed care, resulting in restoration as they are loved unconditionally.

Our Mission

We educate the public and raise awareness to prevent sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and other methods of sexual exploitation. We help with the restoration journey of survivors in our safe house by providing for their physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual needs.

How We Fight
Human Trafficking

Poiema fights human trafficking through three core initiatives: Educate the Public, Engage Communities and Empower Survivors.

Educate the Public

To date, we have educated more than 30,000 people about the dangers of human trafficking through our prevention education program. We speak to teachers, students, counselors, nurses, doctors, foster parents, staff who work with at-risk youth, law enforcement, churches, rotary clubs, etc. 

Engage Communities

Engaging the public to be eyes and ears in the community and identify human trafficking victims is essential to ending this modern-day slavery. Poiema has over 600 active volunteers involved in community outreach. Each Saturday, volunteers from one of our sixteen campuses distribute posters of missing minors throughout the metroplex. They visit hotels, truck stops, DART rail stations, first responders, etc. More than 570 locations receive posters. In partnership with 4theONE, 450 children have been recovered and sadly, more than half were victims of sex trafficking or sexual exploitation.

Empower Survivors

Poiema has a Safe House where we provide the support necessary for survivors of human trafficking to overcome their abuse. The success of our Safe House program is greatly dependent on the support provided by volunteers. Opportunities to serve include helping with home maintenance projects, interacting with the residents through mentoring, game nights, or teaching one of our many classes: exercise, art, nutrition, cooking, and life skills. We also support girls/women who are still trapped in “the life”.

Working Together
to Fight Human Trafficking

Outreach Partners

Bent Tree Bible Fellowship Carrollton, TX
Calvary Chapel Fort Worth Holtom City, TX
Christ Community Church Greenville, TX
Church on the Hill Mesquite, TX
Commerce HT Rotary Club Commerce, TX
Cornerstone Church Rockwall, TX
Dallas Bible Church Dallas, TX
Frisco First Baptist Church, Frisco TX
Grace Bible Church Dallas, TX
Lake Pointe Church Rockwall, TX
Legacy Church Denison/Sherman, TX
Mansfield Bible Church Mansfield, TX
Mid-cities Bible Church Bedford, TX
Stonebriar Church Frisco, TX
White's Chapel Southlake, TX
Landmark Baptist Church Easley, SC

Organizational Partners

For the One Logo
Refuge City Logo
Unbound North Texas Logo
Redeemed Ministries Logo
R & R Ministries Logo

Anti-trafficking Coalitions

Poiema is a member of the following anti-trafficking coalitions.

 

C7 Human Trafficking Coalition
North Texas Region

North Texas Coalition
Against Human Trafficking

Dallas/Fort Worth, TX

North East Texas Alliance
Against Trafficking

Hunt County, TX

TC 5-Stones Task Force
Tarrant County, TX

Heart of Texas Human
Trafficking Coalition

Central Texas Region

Board of Directors

  • Rebecca Jowers, President & Executive Director
  • Ellen Ewing, Chair
  • Karen Pate, Ph.D., Vice Chair
  • Aaron Smith, Treasurer
  • Nancy Woodall-Priddy, J.D., Secretary
  • Bessie Barker
  • Bruce Decker
  • Christopher Dean
  • Yinka Ajagunna, J.D.

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