We had the good fortune of connecting with Tina Stahl and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Tina, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
As a result of social media, any child in our community can fall prey to becoming a victim of sex trafficking, regardless of your social status or neighborhood you live in.
Thousands of hundreds of children from our local communities are becoming victims of sex trafficking. 55% of the manipulation process begins in our schools.
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My career in residential childcare began more than 20 years ago. I have a master’s degree in human service management and am Licensed as a Child Care Administrator (LCCA) for the state of Texas. Her passion is simply to offer hope to disadvantaged youth.
Throughout all my experience I recognized that children that have been victims of sex trafficking are the least understood and most underserved population. In 2020, God laid it on my heart to design a program to work with this population. Emerging Grace Ministries, Inc. became a non-profit that year, complete with an amazing Board of Directors. As we waited to find the right property and raise the funds that it would take to purchase it, we went out into the local communities to educate children, parents, school counselor and local business owners.
Grace House 1 was purchased in March 2023 to be the first residential program for teenage girls ages 12-17. After almost a year of working on renovations, Grace House 1 obtained its permit with the state of Texas as a residential treatment center that is actively taking in residents to participate in the rehabilitation program.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My backyard. It is a place of peace and tranquility. Self-care is very important in my line of work. It is hard not to absorb the experiences of the children I work with. Vicarious trauma is a real thing that can easily happen to any caregiver. We need a safe place to unwind and relax.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I could not have gotten this far without the support of my board members and advisory board members as well as the many volunteers and donors it take to get us moving forward so quickly.
Website: https://www.emerginggrace.org
Instagram: @emerginggraceministries
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emerging-grace-ministries/
Facebook: emergingraceministries
Image Credits
The bunny is Fiona Grace.
Staff member include (from left to right) Brighid Gibney, Marisol Ortega, Jaime Kiely