CATHERINE’S COTTAGE WON FBI BALTIMORE DIVISION DIRECTOR’S COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AWARD (DCLA
Baltimore, MD- Catherine’s Cottage, The Salvation Army’s anti-human trafficking home, won the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Baltimore Division’s Director’s Community Leadership Award (DCLA).
On May 5th 2023, Catherine’s Cottage will be formerly honored at a ceremony at the FBI headquarters in Washington D.C for the 15th annual DCLA ceremony. The annual award recognizes individuals and organizations that take extraordinary steps in drug and violence education and prevention.
It’s a general fact that the FBI can only protect the American people from crimes and conduct investigations if it has the support of the people. This is why special agents in charge of separate field offices work closely with local community organizations. This special award, presented on behalf of the Director of the FBI, was formally created in 1990 as a way to honor individuals and organizations, such as Catherine’s Cottage, for their efforts in combating crime and violence in America.
“It’s a great honor to win this award,” said Dina Jones, Program Director for Catherine’s Cottage. “We were nominated by one of our FBI agents that we work with for exceptional work surrounding trafficked survivors. Our collaboration with the FBI and law enforcement has successfully saved lives.”
Founded in 2017, Catherine’s Cottage is a residential emergency safe house offering shelter and supportive wraparound services to human trafficking victims. It was named after The Salvation Army’s co-founder, Catherine Booth, who devoted much of her efforts to providing “rescue homes” for young women escaping sex trafficking in London, beginning in the late 1860s.
Currently, we are the only agency in Maryland providing housing exclusively for adult victims of human trafficking. Catherine's Cottage is also unique in that it serves survivors of both sex trafficking and labor trafficking.
Almost 75 individuals have received shelter and supportive wraparound services. Those served have been victims of both sex trafficking and labor trafficking and have ranged in age from 19 to 64; they have included transgender individuals who identify as female, pregnant women, mothers with young children, and foreign nationals – populations who face barriers in finding housing through other programs that serve trafficking victims. We support our cottage patrons spiritually, mentally, and holistically. We provide love beyond basic human needs after surviving trauma.
Learn more about Catherine’s Cottage by click here.