Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center

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Tallahassee, FL
Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center

STAC is a service provider for human trafficking survivors of all ages in the Big Bend of Florida. STAC was created to fill these needs and meet this challenge.

Local, state and federal law enforcement representatives, as well as social service providers, know it can be extremely challenging to assist victims of human trafficking because of their diverse needs. Who we work with:

STAC works with:
· The Big Bend Coalition Against Human Trafficking (BBCAHT), an information-sharing coalition comprised of federal, state and local law enforcement, stat

e agencies, and social services agencies and led by U.S. Attorney Pamela Marsh.
· And we are building on the efforts of the FSU Center for the Advancement of Human Rights, and collaborating with the Center. This is important, as the FSU Center has been providing direct services to immigrant trafficking victims, particularly legal representation and case management and has been a leader in Florida and nationally in the issue of trafficking. Once identified, human trafficking victims often require extensive and long-term assistance. A victim has immediate needs such as safety, clothing, shelter, food, legal help, and medical care. Unless that person is also helped to obtain benefits, mental health counseling, job training or educational assistance, they will be vulnerable to being trafficked again. STAC is organized to provide case management assistance to victims over both the long and short terms in collaboration with others. Our goal is to help each victim to not only survive the tragic events of the past but also to rebuild their lives and to thrive.

03/16/2026

Human trafficking doesn’t just happen far away; it can happen at work, in plain sight, in every community.

🏢👷‍♀️🧑‍⚕️⚒️People are trafficked for both s*x and labor, often in places we visit every day. That’s why employees, managers, coworkers, customers, and clients all play an important role in recognizing the signs and responding in ways that protect victims and strengthen workplaces.🏢👷‍♀️🧑‍⚕️⚒️

Join STAC and the Tallahassee/Leon County Commission on the Status of Women and Girls for a LIVE, interactive STACPRO training webinar on ✨April 17, 2026, from 1:00-2:30 pm,✨ designed to equip our community with the tools to recognize trafficking situations and support those who may be vulnerable. While STACPRO is available online, attending live allows participants to ask questions, engage with presenters, and learn alongside others committed to preventing trafficking.

This training is valuable for businesses, restaurants, retail establishments, healthcare providers, social service agencies, the justice system, nonprofits, faith communities, and workplaces of any size. When our workforce is informed, it becomes a powerful line of defense for children and adults at risk of exploitation.
We’re honored to welcome an incredible panel of presenters:

• Dr. Michelle Gayle, Deputy Superintendent of Professional, Intervention, and Community Services
• Graciela Marquina, MSW, Lead Community Services Advocate at STAC
• Stephanie Shumate, Director of the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls
• Robin Hassler Thompson, JD, MA, Executive Director and Co-Founder of STAC

🔗Register today: https://surviveandthriveadvocacy.org/events/stac-third-friday-webinar-series-program-apr-2026/

03/13/2026

Human trafficking doesn’t just happen far away; it can happen at work, in plain sight, in every community.

🏢👷‍♀️🧑‍⚕️⚒️People are trafficked for both s*x and labor, often in places we visit every day. That’s why employees, managers, coworkers, customers, and clients all play an important role in recognizing the signs and responding in ways that protect victims and strengthen workplaces.🏢👷‍♀️🧑‍⚕️⚒️

Join STAC and the Tallahassee/Leon County Commission on the Status of Women and Girls for a LIVE, interactive STACPRO training webinar on ✨April 17, 2026, from 1:00-2:30 pm,✨ designed to equip our community with the tools to recognize trafficking situations and support those who may be vulnerable. While STACPRO is available online, attending live allows participants to ask questions, engage with presenters, and learn alongside others committed to preventing trafficking.

This training is valuable for businesses, restaurants, retail establishments, healthcare providers, social service agencies, the justice system, nonprofits, faith communities, and workplaces of any size. When our workforce is informed, it becomes a powerful line of defense for children and adults at risk of exploitation.

We’re honored to welcome an incredible panel of presenters:
• Dr. Michelle Gayle, Deputy Superintendent of Professional, Intervention, and Community Services
• Graciela Marquina, MSW, Lead Community Services Advocate at STAC
• Stephanie Shumate, Director of the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls
• Robin Hassler Thompson, JD, MA, Executive Director and Co-Founder of STAC

🔗Register today: https://surviveandthriveadvocacy.org/events/stac-third-friday-webinar-series-program-apr-2026/

03/11/2026

Congratulations to STAC Community Services Advocate, Graciela Marquina, on receiving the 2026 Unsung Shero Award at the 2026 Trailblazer Luncheon hosted by The Oasis Center for Women & Girls! ✨

Graciela embodies the strength, compassion, and dedication that define true advocacy. Through her work, she empowers survivors and uplifts those around her, reminding others of the importance of using their voices and standing up for themselves and their communities.

We are incredibly proud to celebrate this well-deserved recognition. Thank you, Graciela, for your wisdom, compassion, resilience, and care you bring to STAC, to our community, and most of all, to every survivor you walk with and empower. 💜

03/08/2026

Today, we honor the strength, leadership, and resilience of women everywhere. 💜

On International Women’s Day, the Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center (STAC) recognizes that women and girls are disproportionately impacted by both s*x and labor trafficking worldwide. Gender-based violence, economic inequality, and systemic barriers continue to place women and girls at heightened risk, yet they are also leading the movement for justice and reform.

The courage of survivors in cases like those impacted by Jeffrey Epstein is a powerful reminder that women survivors are resilient, credible, and unshakeable in their pursuit of truth. Their voices not only demand accountability, but they also inspire survivors of all genders to know that their experiences are real, that they are not alone, and that justice is possible.

Today and every day, we stand alongside women working to ensure dignity, freedom, and opportunity for all.

03/03/2026

✨ STAC’s Freedom Rising: A Community in Action Human Trafficking Symposium is now LIVE. ✨

Hosted by the Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center, this impactful symposium brings together s*x and labor trafficking survivors, legal experts, law enforcement, advocates, and community leaders for an in-depth exploration of how our systems can, and must, respond to s*x and labor trafficking.

Centering the lived experiences and leadership of survivors, panelists give focused attention to vulnerable and underserved populations and confront the realities of forced criminality as a form of labor trafficking. Through case-based analysis and expert insight, the symposium examines:

▪️ How parents and caregivers can protect youth from traffickers
▪️ Legal remedies available to youth and adults
▪️ The complex intersections between s*x trafficking, labor trafficking, and child s*xual abuse

Designed for professionals, advocates, students, policymakers, and engaged community members, this is a rare opportunity to learn directly from lived-experience experts and leaders in law, children’s services, and law enforcement.

Attendees will gain practical, trauma-informed strategies to recognize trafficking, respond safely and effectively, support survivor-leaders, hold traffickers accountable, and disrupt the conditions that allow exploitation to persist.

WATCH TODAY by visiting https://surviveandthriveadvocacy.org/events/freedom-rising-a-community-in-action-symposium-on-s*x-and-labor-trafficking/ and earn your FREE CERTIFICATE🏅

02/26/2026

✨ to Imagine Freedom 2026 ✨

We’re still overflowing with gratitude for the 100+ community members who showed up in support of survivors of s*x and labor trafficking. Because of our incredible partners, sponsors, donors, and friends, STAC has raised $72,000 toward our $80,000 goal. 💙🎉

A heartfelt thank you to our caterer, Refire, for helping make the evening so special. We are also proud to recognize our Gratitude Award winners for the critical work they do in our community: Wendy Strickland Dawson and Angel Wingz, Tallahassee/Leon Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, the HELP Project at the FSU College of Law and Paolo Annino, and the Zonta Club of Tallahassee. Your leadership, advocacy, and service strengthen our community and expand pathways to safety and justice for survivors.

That momentum matters. Every dollar fuels prevention, advocacy, and critical, trauma-informed services for survivors right here in our community.

We’re just $8,000 away from reaching our goal. If you believe in a community free from exploitation, now is the time to act.

Help us close the gap and reach $80,000. Your support directly strengthens survivor services, including safe housing, food, clothing, transportation, counseling, and prevention efforts.

🔗 Donate today and become a member of the STAC family: https://surviveandthriveadvocacy.org/donate-now/

02/25/2026

"Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center’s Imagine Freedom 2026 allowed me to meet and hear from survivors of human trafficking, and really humanized them for me by putting faces and voices to previous words I’ve read on a page."

📝 Read the latest blog from third-year Florida State University College of Law student and member of the Children’s Advocacy Clinic and Public Interest Law Center, Jillian Melinek. In her reflection on Imagine Freedom and the STAC Human Trafficking Symposium, she captures the impact of sitting across from survivors of s*x and labor trafficking, and explains why centering survivor voices in anti-human trafficking advocacy work is essential to advancing freedom for all.

🔗Check out Jillian's article by visiting: https://surviveandthriveadvocacy.org/imagine-freedom-sitting-across-the-table-from-strength/

02/20/2026

At STAC, we recognize that anti-trafficking work is deeply connected to social justice. Human trafficking does not exist in a vacuum. It is fueled by systemic inequities, discrimination, and generational barriers that disproportionately impact Black individuals and communities.

This month, we honor Black history, leadership, resilience, and advocacy, while continuing to commit ourselves to education, prevention, and action that centers equity and liberation for all.

General Hotlines:
Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center Warmline (call or text): 850-597-2080
National Human Trafficking Hotline: call 1-888-373-7888, text 'HELP' or 'INFO' to 233733

02/19/2026

🚨 HAPPENING TOMORROW | Schools & the Law: Hidden in Plain Sight 🚨

Tomorrow is your chance to join STAC in a powerful and timely Third Friday Webinar on how schools can prevent human trafficking involving children, identify child survivors, and respond with trauma-informed care.

📅 February 20, 2026
🕐 1:00–2:30 PM EST

This critical webinar breaks down Florida’s legal framework on child trafficking and what it means for educators, school leaders, parents, and community partners. Learn how to recognize red flags, support trafficking survivor-students, and respond to discipline, attendance, and behavioral concerns in ways that acknowledge trauma and protect students’ rights.

Hear directly from leading experts, including:
• Paolo Annino, JD, PhD, Glass Professor of Public Interest Law at FSU College of Law and a national leader in child advocacy and anti-trafficking law.
• Emmalyn Dalton, Clinical Professor with FSU’s Children’s Advocacy Clinic, with extensive experience representing youth in the juvenile justice system.
• Emma Smith, Emma Chapman, and Valerie Busto, Human Trafficking and Exploitation Project (HELP) law students bringing frontline advocacy perspectives.
• Dr. Michelle Gayle, Deputy Superintendent of Leon County Schools, sharing real-world insight on school-based interventions and student support systems.

📲Stay tuned in on STAC socials to learn more about the presenters by sharing, following, and liking our posts!📲

🔗Visit https://surviveandthriveadvocacy.org/events/stac-third-friday-webinar-series-program-feb-2026/ to SECURE YOUR SPOT TODAY!

If you work with children, or care about protecting them, you won't want to miss this🚌🚸

02/16/2026

Schools & the Law: Hidden in Plain Sight – How Schools Can Prevent and Identify Human Trafficking and Provide Trauma-Informed Responses to Child Survivors

Calling all educators, caregivers, students, law enforcement, nonprofit and private-sector professionals, and anyone committed to protecting children.

📆MARK YOUR CALENDARS: 📆
February 20, 2026, from 1:00-2:30 pm on ZOOM, STAC will be hosting our monthly Third Friday Anti-Human Trafficking Webinar!

This session will equip educators, parents, and community partners with tools to:
🚌Help students recognize and report exploitation
🚸Identify potential survivor-students
🎒Respond using trauma-informed practices
📚Navigate discipline, attendance, and legal obligations with a survivor-centered lens

Hear from leading experts in law and education, including Paolo Annino, JD, PhD, Professor Emmalyn Dalton, Emma Smith, Valerie Busto, and Dr. Michelle Gayle, as they share practical insights on how schools can be a frontline defense against trafficking.

📲Stay tuned in on STAC socials to learn more about the presenters by sharing, following, and liking our posts!📲

🔗Visit https://surviveandthriveadvocacy.org/events/stac-third-friday-webinar-series-program-feb-2026/ to SECURE YOUR SPOT TODAY!

02/14/2026

⏰🔥 LAST CALL! 🔥⏰

STAC’s Silent Auction closes TODAY, and there are still incredible items waiting for your bid! Don’t miss your chance to Buy It Now or jump into some friendly competition and bid for freedom.

Once it’s gone, it’s gone. This is YOUR moment to make an impact and score something special just in time for Valentine's Day.

✨ Place your bids now before time runs out!

✨💘Visit https://surviveandthriveadvocacy.org/imagine-freedom-2026-auction/ to bid TODAY! 💘✨

02/13/2026

✨Happening Next Week: STAC’s Third Friday Webinar✨

📚 Schools & the Law: Hidden in Plain Sight 📚

Join STAC on February 20 | 1:00–2:30 PM EST for a ✨FREE✨ certificate webinar on how schools can prevent human trafficking, identify child survivors, and respond with trauma-informed practices.

Hear from leading experts, including:
• Paolo Annino, JD, PhD, Glass Professor of Public Interest Law at Florida State University College of Law and national leader in child advocacy
• Emmalyn Dalton, Clinical Professor with the Children’s Advocacy Clinic and former assistant public defender
• Emma Smith, Emma Chapman, and Valerie Busto, student advocates with the Human Trafficking and Exploitation Project (HELP)
• Dr. Michelle Gayle, Deputy Superintendent of Leon County Schools overseeing intervention services, mental health supports, and community partnerships

Learn how Florida law intersects with prevention, reporting, discipline, and survivor-centered school responses.

Ideal for educators, parents, students, law enforcement, and community members.

🔗 Secure your spot today:
https://surviveandthriveadvocacy.org/events/stac-third-friday-webinar-series-program-feb-2026/

Address

Tallahassee, FL

Telephone

+18505972080

Website

http://www.surviveandthriveadvocacy.org/

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Our Story

The Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center, Inc. (STAC) is a tax exempt organization as defined within the Internal Revenue Code Section, paragraph and subparagraph 501(c)3. As such, contributions made to the organization are generally considered deductible in full to the extent allowed by tax law. We suggest that you consult your tax advisor if you have questions on the deductibility of this or any contribution. THE SURVIVE AND THRIVE ADVOCACY CENTER, INC. IS REGISTERED WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES AS A CHARITY TO SOLICIT AND COLLECT CONTRIBUTIONS WITHIN THE STATE. OUR REGISTRATION NUMBER IS CH49747. A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE WITHIN THE STATE (800-435-7352). REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.