Our Story

The Beginning

Five14 Revolution began when a group of women became increasingly aware of the devastating realities of human trafficking and the need to help others understand what was happening in our own communities.

At the time, many people believed trafficking was something that happened somewhere else—to someone else. The reality was much different. Human trafficking was happening in communities across North Carolina, often hidden in plain sight.

Our name comes from Ephesians 5:14, "Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."

From the beginning, we have been guided by the belief that transformation is possible—that light can overcome darkness, hope can overcome despair, and lives can be restored through the redeeming power of Jesus Christ.

Meeting Women Where They Are

As our understanding deepened, we began building relationships with women in local strip clubs. We didn't go to judge or condemn. We went because we believed every woman deserved to be seen, valued, and loved.

Those relationships changed everything.

As women shared their stories, we encountered mothers struggling to provide for their children, women facing abuse and addiction, and individuals experiencing exploitation and trafficking. One woman shared that she had turned to selling herself online simply to afford school supplies for her children.

Stories like these changed us. We realized that awareness alone was not enough.

Survivors needed advocacy. They needed resources. They needed safe places. They needed people willing to walk alongside them on the journey toward healing and restoration.

Growing Beyond Awareness

In 2016, Five14 became an official nonprofit organization. The following year, we opened The Storehouse, creating a place where women could find support, community, resources, and case management.

What began as awareness and outreach was growing into direct survivor care.

As community partners began referring survivors to Five14, our ministry continued to evolve. We expanded our support services and deepened our commitment to walking alongside women as they navigated complex challenges and pursued lasting freedom.

When strip club outreach eventually came to an end due to changes in ownership, God opened a new door.

What initially felt like a closed chapter became an opportunity to focus more deeply on the growing needs we were seeing among survivors in our community.

A Place to Heal

As we listened to survivors, one challenge became impossible to ignore: safe housing.

For many women, freedom from trafficking was only the beginning. Without a safe and stable place to live, long-term healing and restoration became significantly more difficult.

In November 2023, Five14 opened its first residential safe house, providing survivors with a safe and supportive environment where they could focus on healing, growth, and rebuilding their futures.

What began as an awareness ministry had evolved into a comprehensive model of survivor care—one that combines advocacy, case management, community partnerships, residential programming, and restorative support designed to help survivors move toward lasting freedom and independence.

In April 2026, we purchased our first safe house property, establishing a permanent foundation for survivor care and future growth.

Today

Today, Five14 serves survivors of human trafficking throughout Southeast North Carolina through advocacy, case management, residential programming, community partnerships, and restorative care.

Along the way, we have witnessed stories of incredible transformation. We have seen women restore relationships with their children, rebuild their lives, and discover a renewed sense of purpose. We have celebrated baptisms, new beginnings, and milestones that once seemed impossible. We have also experienced setbacks and heartbreak. Healing is rarely a straight path.

Yet through every success and every struggle, our commitment remains the same: to walk alongside survivors with compassion, dignity, and hope, pointing them toward the healing and restoration found in Jesus Christ.

Because we believe every survivor deserves more than escape. They deserve safety. They deserve dignity. They deserve hope. And they deserve the opportunity to build a future defined not by what happened to them, but by who God created them to be.

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