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HISTORY

AbolitionNC began as a small prayer group at Westover Church in 2008, and within 10 years became a North Carolina Non-Profit organization on behalf of Human Trafficking victims and survivors. Since its beginning, AbolitionNC has been a calling from God to raise awareness and compassion for the tragic reality of modern day slavery. Our focus has always been to prayerfully follow God’s leading to be his hands and feet to those who have suffered and to prevent the exploitation of future generations. We consider prayer, community education, honorable collaboration, and humble service to be key components of our work in the past and in all future endeavors.

May 2009

Abolition! Ministry is officially launched to the Westover Church Congregation at the Spring Global event in May. Larry Martin, a Senior VP at the International Justice Mission, was the keynote speaker at the event.

2010

Prayer Vigil was hosted by Abolition! Ministry at Westover Church in awareness of National Anti-Human Trafficking Day 2010.

2009

  • Emergency Bags and Personal Hygiene Items are collected and provided to local victims

  • Monthly meetings are held to include significant prayer time, as well as guests speakers to educate and help with the future goals of Abolition! Ministry. Members participated in formal training as available.

  • Partnership with World Relief of High Point

  • Partnership with Triad Rapid Response Team. This allows the opportunity to collaborate with local law enforcement and service providers such as mental health facilities.

  • Partnership with Tiny Hands International

2012

  • Hosted screening of the film, Dark Side of Chocolate with a Fair Trade Chocolate tasting party

  • Hosted screenings of the Chosen video created by Shared Hope International. The focus was for high school students and parents. Students at High Point Christian Academy also hosted Abolition! Ministry as a guest speaker for High School student awareness.

2014

  • Abolition! Ministry assisted with Refuse to do Nothing conference series in partnership with Natasha Robinson. Four separate Saturday education/awareness events were held at different local churches. Speakers and local abolitionists were a part of the overall presentations.

  • Abolition! Ministry headed the Justice Conference through Westover Church and attended the Shared Hope International Conference in Washington D.C.

  • Partnership with Restore One
    Partnership with Sealy
    Prayer Walk/Vigil for survivors and perpetrators

  • Not My Life screening

  • Agents of Grace Board of Directors graciously shares their non-profit status, as well as their organizational expertise. In 2014, their board of directors served as Abolition! Ministry's advisory board. The council of their leadership helped Cambre Weller and Chelsea Spohn begin to make visionary plans for the future role of Abolition! Ministry in the North Carolina Anti-Human trafficking community.

  • Abolition! Ministry hosted a Weekend Founder’s Retreat for NC aftercare programs at Greensboro’s Proximity Hotel. A workshop specific to sharing best practices and providing fellowship was facilitated by Natasha Robinson and held at Starmount Forest Country Club.

  • Partnership with Hope House

2016

  • ​AbolitionNC is officially a North Carolina NonProfit.​

  • Mentorship Program is created to educate new members in the specific needs and expectations of local survivors. Anita Faulkner and Holly Jayamohan of Family Solutions facilitated the initial training of mentors. Holly graciously provided trauma care training.

  • Present Human Trafficking Curriculum to Guilford County Health Advisory Board

  • A partnership formed with Guilford County Schools concerning Anti-Human trafficking curriculum to support the legislation of SB279.

  • "Chosen" curriculum is purchased by AbolitionNC to be shown in Guilford County School classrooms countywide. Jen Uhlenberg provides training and informative presentations for school counselors, health educators, local church groups, and others interested in the community. Due to her commitment and gentle passion, Jen is named Director of Community Relations for AbolitionNC.

  • Second Annual Mad Hatter’s Tea was hosted at Starmount Forest Country Club. Congressman Mark Walker, NW Region Director/NC Council for Women’s Bernetta Thigpen, and Sandy Sikes served as advocate speakers. Simply Meg’s is the Wilberforce Sponsor with First Bank, State Street Jewelers and AAA Self Storage as additional sponsors.

  • First Year End Giving Campaign with a goal of $20,000 was established. This goal includes the creation of the Wilberforce Clapham Circle, headed by Lindsay Morris.

2018

  • Curriculum Committee commits to revising current AbolitionNC curriculum document for a more in-depth, second edition to be offered to school systems for the 2018-2019 school year. FreewayNC lessons, assessments, power points, and teaching materials are created to support the revised curriculum. The new goal of statewide distribution for no cost to schools is born.

  • March 1, 2018, AbolitionNC opens the first safe house for trafficking survivors here in the Triad area.

2011

  • Hosted a screening of the documentary Sex and Money in partnership with Youth with a Mission

  • Prayer Team creates a day by day monthly prayer guide specific to the needs and concerns of Abolition! Ministry

2013

  • In honor of Freedom Sunday 2013, Abolition! Ministry provided an Online Slide Rocket Presentation appropriate for all age groups. Information was shared with the congregation and small groups at Westover Church. Abolition! Ministry members spoke in different Sunday school classes to promote awareness.

  • Begin the privilege to come alongside local survivors and provide one on one friendship and mentoring relationships, as well as connecting them with valuable local resources to assist them in their recovery and restoration.

  • Partnership with Lily Pad Haven

  • It is becoming more and more apparent that Abolition! Ministry needs to be able to create its own budget and financial responsibilities outside the perimeters of Westover Church.

2015

  • January started with a new beginning. Abolition! Ministry became AbolitionNC with the development of its first board of directors and a goal to become an independent non-profit by the year's end. Founding Board members were Chairman Cambre Weller, Vice Chairman Anita Faulkner, Secretary Jen Uhlenberg, Treasurer Tom Shultz, Legal Council Chris Coughlin, Gil Newsom, and Natasha Robinson, both Members at Large. Chelsea Spohn serves as the Founding Executive Director.

  • Per their request, AbolitionNC hosted Lily Pad Haven’s Weekend Board Retreat related to strategic planning and board development

  • AbolitionNC hosted a Justice Matters Conference at Grace Community Church. The conference was a calling to the greater faith-based community to take ownership in Anti-Human Trafficking work in the Triad.

  • First Mad Hatter’s Tea to benefit AbolitionNC was hosted at the Scales Mansion in September. The event was AbolitionNC’s first public introduction to the community and kicked off our fundraising efforts. A silent auction and hat competition provided guest excitement for next year’s event.

  • Partnership with Child Response Initiative

  • North Carolina Senate Bill 279 is passed into law and requires all public school students to receive anti-human trafficking curriculum in their middle school sex education classes.

2017

  • First AbolitionNC Board Retreat, hosted by Marilyn Green at the Green Family Foundation in Brown Summit.

  • A partnership began with Help Shelter, Inc. for housing and case management of survivors

  • Panel Discussion and appearance with Greensboro Police Department’s Building Bridges television series

  • Housing Committee initiated along with strategic planning for survivor housing

  • AbolitionNC Curriculum Committee is developed in response to North Carolina House Bill 910.  Cambre Weller and Cindy King develop a curriculum guide in support of objectives outlined in HB910.

  • Partnerships formed with Rockingham County Schools and Winston Salem Forsyth County Schools. School personnel was trained to use AbolitionNC Anti-Human Trafficking Curriculum.

  • Tea and Top Hats 2017 is hosted in September at Greensboro Country Club.  

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