Joy

Joy has become the theme for 2023 here at Leah’s Place. Monumental joy abounds as our request for incorporation as a legal nonprofit in the state of New York has officially been filed! Not long ago I was concerned as to how our legal fees would ever be satisfied, and now I’m standing on the other side of that mountain, just amazed at the generosity of our community and the response on the behalf of people everywhere to affirm the need for safe spaces for women and children and support them. Joy continues to surprise me in the places I least expect this year. Joy also happens to be the name of my sister who was a sex worker when she died last November, leaving behind a son in elementary school. The need for women to be able to walk safely away from lives of exploitation and abuse with their children and rise to the challenges of motherhood is evident in the tragic losses that unfold daily in places not far from our homes, and sometimes even inside of them. I have really felt my sister’s spirit on this project, reaching back to let me know that preserving mothers matters more than most people realize-until it’s too late. Thank you for stopping by to learn more about the development of this project from a concept to a working entity. It’s our joy to share this mission!