Street outreach at West 73rd Street and Lorain Avenue Friday night.
“We choose this area specifically because this is one of the highest areas of prostitution in the city of Cleveland,” said Renee Jones CEO & President of the Renee Jones Empowerment Center and Northeast Ohio Human Trafficking Law Clinic.
The area also hard hit by the opioid epidemic. “In the state of Ohio, it was number one for Narcan administered by EMS in the entire state of Ohio,” said Jeremy Taylor, Safety & Community Engagement Coordinator with the Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization.
There were several agencies lined up along Lorain Avenue focused on helping. Volunteers with the Renee Jones Empowerment Center passed out bags filled with toiletries.
There was also food, clothes, and Narcan kits being passed out. “We didn’t find out until we started doing outreach out here how bad it was. A couple of months ago, we gave a lady a kit, and an hour later she came back. She used it on a family member and came back for another one,” said Stephanie Shorts with Project Dawn.
Annette Mango is a human trafficking survivor who is now focused on giving back. “First of all, to give back for what has been given to me. Second, to let the ladies know there is help,” said Mango.
Project Red Chord started in June. Each month more services have been added. There is one more street outreach set for December 16. The program will then start back up in the spring.
