Rebecca Bender Initiative

Rebecca Bender Initiative Human trafficking destroys lives. Survivors need hope and healing. When it's time to start dreaming and thriving Elevate Academy delivers.

Our specialized online school provides support and education so survivors can heal, thrive, and pursue their dreams. Rebecca Bender Initiative launched Elevate Academy in 2014 with the goal of providing services to survivors of trafficking regardless of where they live. The brainchild of Rebecca Bender who struggled to rebuild her life in a rural town escaping her trafficker, Elevate meets student

s where they are, igniting purpose and destiny within our students. Like many great organizations, Elevate Academy started from humble beginnings with five students. Today, we have grown through word-of-mouth and referrals, from partnering organizations, and donors to serving nearly 800 survivors of human trafficking.

What’s ONE thing I can see to spot trafficking? I get question a lot. My answer usually surprises people.It’s like askin...
05/29/2026

What’s ONE thing I can see to spot trafficking? I get question a lot. My answer usually surprises people.

It’s like asking how you’d spot someone with alcoholism in a grocery store. You wouldn’t. A bottle of wine doesn’t tell you the full story—and neither does a single moment with someone experiencing trafficking.

The truth is, trafficking isn’t something you “see” in passing. It’s something you begin to recognize over time, through proximity and context.

It’s the family member who notices a their loved one slowly pulling away—less communication, more tension, always rushed, something just feels off.
It’s the nurse who sees repeated visits, the same controlling partner answering every question.
It’s the school resource officer tracking patterns of truancy that don’t quite add up.

“What should I look for to spot someone being trafficked?”

It’s the everyday interactions—small inconsistencies that, over time, tell a bigger story.

Victims are not hidden from the world. They are moving through it every day—interacting with professionals across healthcare, education, and the justice system.

That’s why multi-disciplinary training matters.

Because when people across systems are equipped to recognize patterns—not just moments—we stop asking “why didn’t anyone see it?” and start building communities that actually can.

👉 If you’re in education, healthcare, law enforcement, or community services—this training is for you.
👉 Follow along or partner with us to bring this training to your organization.

Thank you to Every Page Foundation for your generous support of Elevate Academy and the survivors we serve. Your partner...
05/28/2026

Thank you to Every Page Foundation for your generous support of Elevate Academy and the survivors we serve. Your partnership helps create pathways toward economic empowerment, career readiness, and long-term stability for survivors of human trafficking. We’re deeply grateful to stand alongside organizations that believe every survivor deserves the opportunity to rebuild, grow, and thrive.

Are you a Prosecutor, Police or Task Force Coordinator? Aequitas highly sought after conference is set for Denver in Jun...
05/27/2026

Are you a Prosecutor, Police or Task Force Coordinator? Aequitas highly sought after conference is set for Denver in June!

“Leading Strategic Responses to Human Trafficking: Keeping Your Community Safe” is a free 2-day training intended to leverage police and prosecutor leadership roles to make organizational change by developing and refining human trafficking responses to improve victim identification and promote public safety. AEquitas will deliver this training
June 16–17, 2026, in Denver, CO.

Applications from executive-level police and prosecutors working with ECM HTTFs will be prioritized, but police and prosecution executives from any jurisdictions are welcome to apply. Link in bio

When a survivor finds her voice, it doesn’t stop with her. It carries into her workplace, her family, and her community—...
05/25/2026

When a survivor finds her voice, it doesn’t stop with her. It carries into her workplace, her family, and her community—creating a ripple effect that changes more than one life. At Elevate Academy, we’re equipping women with the confidence and skills to lead, advocate, and build stability that lasts. If you believe in that kind of impact, join us.

👉 Link in bio to get involved.

“I joined Elevate Academy during a period of transition, and I was looking for structure, direction, and support as I pl...
05/20/2026

“I joined Elevate Academy during a period of transition, and I was looking for structure, direction, and support as I planned my next steps. Be around people who understand you. Education felt like an important part of building independence and confidence in my life. Elevate Academy gave me access to trauma-informed education that helped me build confidence and practical skills. As of the results I received, Elevate Academy-Certification, I feel more confident navigating professional spaces and advocating for myself and others. Celebrating the small victories, whether it was speaking up in a meeting, completing a project, or simply getting out of bed on a hard day. I freed myself from the pressure to keep up with others. Instead, I focused on what truly matters: listening to my own voice, staying authentic, making progress, and pursuing self-discovery. Growth isn’t about how fast I go or how visible I am; it’s about the transformation happening within over time. I let go of comparisons and focus on my own progress. Where do I go from here? Time will tell. But in the meantime, I’m grateful for this program and the community at Elevate Academy.”

You can make a difference in the lives of survivors every day. Will you consider donating today?

When a survivor finds her voice, it doesn’t stop with her. It carries into her workplace, her family, and her community—...
05/18/2026

When a survivor finds her voice, it doesn’t stop with her. It carries into her workplace, her family, and her community—shaping conversations, influencing decisions, and creating spaces where others feel seen and understood. At Elevate Academy, we’re not just focused on individual growth; we’re equipping women with the confidence and practical skills to advocate, lead, and participate in professional environments in ways that have a lasting impact. The result is a ripple effect—where one woman’s progress leads to stronger teams, more informed systems, and communities that respond differently because someone with lived experience is now at the table. If you believe in that kind of impact, this is your invitation to be part of it—support a survivor, partner with us, or sign up for our newsletter to see how far that ripple can reach.

There are so many incredible opportunities and events around mental health I am seeing flooding my feed. To my survivor ...
05/13/2026

There are so many incredible opportunities and events around mental health I am seeing flooding my feed.

To my survivor friends and family: YOU ARE NOT BEHIND. Tackling our mental health is a daily task. Healing from extreme trauma, managing our triggers, our heightened responses, grounding techniques, feeling left out or really far behind in life or career - these are daily for us. While we’ve been learning and gathering tools like a fat kid gathers cake, trying, pleading to feel “normal” don’t let all the events around you feel overwhelming or that there is still so far to go, so much to do. You are not behind! You are right where you’re supposed to be for all you’ve been through and life will continue to unfold beautifully, one day at a time.

So take in the resources. Learn. Stay curious.

But don’t let the noise make you feel like you’re not doing enough.

Your journey is not behind schedule.
It’s unfolding in real time, in the exact way it needs to.

Let’s normalize this:Winning isn’t always big.Sometimes it’s:✔️ finishing the assignment✔️ showing up to class✔️ choosin...
05/11/2026

Let’s normalize this:

Winning isn’t always big.
Sometimes it’s:

✔️ finishing the assignment
✔️ showing up to class
✔️ choosing yourself again

Small wins build real change.

💬 Comment “WIN” if you’re celebrating something small this week.

“I feel more confident navigating professional spaces…”That sentence right there?That’s the shift.From surviving → to le...
05/08/2026

“I feel more confident navigating professional spaces…”

That sentence right there?
That’s the shift.

From surviving → to leading
From silence → to advocacy
From uncertainty → to direction

This is why we do what we do.

👉 Want to help more women get here? Partner with us.

Patty trained in Boston this week and look who was there! We LOVE getting to see Elevate Graduates in person and so grat...
05/06/2026

Patty trained in Boston this week and look who was there! We LOVE getting to see Elevate Graduates in person and so grateful when our paths cross in real life. Zooms are great, but theres something special about being together, hugging, laughing.

Eileen is one of our graduates. Eileen D**g is a Former Global Goals
Ambassador. She is the Founder/Executive Director of Hope Pyx Global. Ms. D**g
advises and trains governments, law enforcement, and multilateral institutions on human rights, gender based violence, transnational organized crime, technology, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), leadership, strategies and policies. Drawing from both lived and professional experience, she addresses survivor-centered, culturally and linguistically sensitive care for survivors. D**g is the author of Amazon’s #1 New Release, “Thank Your Predator: A Guide
to Trauma Recovery from Abuse”. A TEDx speaker, she has addressed the
UN High-Level Political Forum in commemoration of the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.

She is out using her past for purpose! Great job Eileen

Address

Grants Pass, OR
97526

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Website

http://Elevate-academy.org/

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