We are a registered 501 (c)(3) non-profit that exists to help women rescued from sex trafficking reintegrate into their communities. We are committed to empowering women to walk in true freedom.

Our EIN is 27-2454072 and you can also read more about our organization on Guidestar - which helps individuals and donors improve their understanding of the nonprofit sector and the organizations that serve the causes they care about. We have been given the Gold rating demonstrating our commitment to transparency.

You can see us on Guidestar here.

We currently work with partners in San Salvador, El Salvador; San Jose, Costa Rica; Uganda; and Mexico.

We serve women who are survivors of sex trafficking. Some of these women have been in prostitution since they were young girls, others have been trafficked internationally through the false promise of a job as adults. But regardless of their backstory, these incredibly resilient women are no longer trafficking victims, no longer in commercial sex. They are walking on their journey towards freedom!

Nope! In our bra program, which is just one of our economic empowerment pieces, the women are entrepreneurs! They do not work for FTG, they do not work for our partner organizations – we set them up to work for themselves. These women are coming out of a situation in which they were not in control of their lives – in some cases, they were not even able to decide what to wear or eat! But now, through self-employment, they have all control and say as to how they work, where they work, when they work, and who they work with. Watching the women thrive as they gain control back of their lives is extraordinary!

FTG was co-founded by Kimba Langas and Dave Terpstra. This dynamic duo asked the question, “What are these women being rescued to?” and after an unexpected encounter with a bra-seller in Mozambique, a CNN documentary, and an incredible army of volunteers, FTG became what it is today! However, we could not do what we do without Duneland Community Church (DCC). This generous church, lovingly known far and wide as “The Bra Church,” provides a large section of their building to be our Donation Processing Center, and there’s an amazing group of volunteers from the congregation and local community that have supported our work for a decade.

The goal of our model is true and total freedom. Freedom is not simply distance from a brothel or a pimp. True freedom is nothing less than women walking in wholeness – physically (in sobriety and with access to healthcare), financially (able to provide for herself and her family without being vulnerable for future re-trafficking), emotionally (through trauma therapy and psychosocial support), mentally, and spiritually. What does that look like? It means being free to dress the way one wants, free to believe and worship, free do choose what to eat, free to send her children to school, free to pursue adult education, free to dream. It means being free as a mom, sister, daughter – establishing freedom for the next generation. (Click here to read more about how our women define freedom).

In order to keep our overhead costs as low as possible and because we couldn’t find just one place where all the awesome people live, we don’t have actual offices! We all work from home and are spread out across the country - from Colorado to Indiana.

Please note: Our mailing address is Free The Girls, 1552 Pioneer Trail, Chesterton, IN 46304

We have 2 U.S. staff members (volunteer positions), and a host of fabulous volunteers spread out across the U.S. that make all of this happen! In the countries where we serve, vetted contractors and partners provide direct services to the survivors in our programs.

Click here to read more about Our Team

Short answer: No. Not anymore. Long answer: We are best known for our economic empowerment model of collecting bras (from people just like you!) and helping formerly trafficked women in developing countries become entrepreneurs selling these bras in their local second-hand clothing markets. This was how so many people came to know who we are. But in 2023, we made the choice to discontinue bra collecting in response to the reduced effectiveness of bra-selling in providing economic support for the women in our programs. Listening to our program partners and the women we serve, we have instead invested in a significant expansion of our reintegration programs, addressing a larger set of needs and working to serve more women in more places. We are inviting those that want to invest in true freedom for survivors to join us in economic support and collaborative partnerships in the same ways that tens of thousands of people have partnered with our bra collection program.

Free The Girls is not currently collecting bras. Some of our locations still have active bra selling programs, but due to the generosity of our supporters and corporate partners, we have enough inventory on hand to last for years to come. If you’re interested in donating bras we suggest reaching out to your local domestic violence shelters and homeless shelters. While they regularly receive clothing donations, bras are often overlooked as a crucial item for women in need. Otherwise, the following organizations are also known to accept bra donations:
I Support The Girls
The Bra Recyclers
Donate Your Bras

If you are a survivor in need of assistance or know someone who is:

US NATIONAL TRAFFICKING HOTLINE
Call 1 (888) 373 - 7888

Resources for finding your country’s trafficking hotline:
A21 - REPORT NOW
ITS A PENALTY - MAKE A REPORT

Information on US Victim Assistance Resources
Office on Trafficking in Persons