Dear Friends,

We hope you all had a wonderful Labor Day weekend. At Kerengende Foundation we are excited to update you on our highlights from the summer, as we gear up for an impactful fall that supports our teens, families, and community members with the education and resources to respond to and prevent sexual trauma. Thank you for your support in making this possible. 

With gratitude,

Amber Clayborne, Founder
I’d love to hear from you. Please use our contact form if you’d like to get in touch.

Summer Program Highlights

Stronger Together: Programs for Teens

“Imagine Me” Summer Camp in Partnership with Call For Help and Project Compassion

On July 18-20, Kerengende partnered with Call For Help, and Rachael R. Jackson, founder of Project Compassion, to provide a three-day youth workshop focused on the prevention of sexual exploitation. This collaborative event introduced female-identified youth to the concepts of consent, coercion, and boundaries through daily dialogue and a culminating hands-on art project. 

Led by a licensed art therapist from Call for Help, Marilyn Holmes, the culminating interactive art project invited girls to create a “canvas of self” with the decoration of mannequins, allowing girls to be hands-on, creative, and supportive of one another. 

Ten African American girls participated in the camp, which was led by Black women, enabling culturally specific conversation. Both adults and youth had the opportunity to share and care intimately, vulnerably, and compassionately. In addition to empowering the girls with key information and decision-making skills, the summer camp also organically fostered strong interpersonal skills such as teamwork, empathy, and communication. To learn more about our summer camp’s impact, read our blog here!

It’s All of Our Business: Programs for Parents, Guardians, and Community Members

Community Outreach at Vivian Adams Elementary School 

On September 1, we hosted a table at Vivian Adams Early Childhood Center Elementary School in East St. Louis during their open house. This was the first event Kerengende participated in at the elementary school level, which allowed us to empower parents of young children with information and tools to prevent childhood sexual abuse and exploitation. 

Community Outreach at Belleville East and Belleville West High Schools

“How to Set Boundaries & Communicate with Ease”

Our July 14 program with Rachel Grant, highlighted in our summer update, was a success! “How to Set Boundaries & Communicate with Ease” educated participants on identifying areas in their lives where they are not keeping their word with themselves. Rachael reminded us how “going against our will and forcing ourselves to do things we don’t want to do” is re-traumatizing and creates feelings of shame and resentment. We learned strategies that restore our integrity, and give us space to fully consent to requests rather than agreeing from a place of perceived obligation. Watch the replay here!

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Team Training

In June, the Convergence Resource Center hosted the Kerengende Foundation for a customized training on critical topics such as human trafficking, trauma, and how to best engage with survivors and their families. The facilitators equipped Kerengende with tools to continue developing a strong infrastructure for assisting survivors in a way that is client-centered and trauma-informed. The training was so successful that the Convergence Resource Center will now offer customized programs on a national basis.

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We Moved!

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Upcoming Programs

• On September 27, we will hold a parent community training at Vivian Adams Elementary School, open to all parents at the school.
• On October 18 and 20, we will host a Healthy Relationships workshop for teens at our new office space. Look out for an email with registration information (subscribe at the bottom of this page). 
• On October 25, we will hold a training in East St. Louis on exploitation awareness in partnership with Crisis Aid. Location details forthcoming. 
• In October, we will begin parent workshops at our new office location. Stay tuned for more updates in the fall.

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Call to Action

We are looking for speakers on a panel that we are organizing this fall about sexual exploitation and sex trafficking of boys. Potential speakers include stakeholders, youth advocates, teachers, law enforcement, parents, victim witness advocates, and any other community members with experience on this topic. If you are interested or know of a potential speaker, please contact us at , using the information in the footer, or via our contact form. 

Dear Friends,

First, thank you for all of your support on Giving Tuesday, which provides the necessary resources for our workshops, community outreach programs, therapy services, and more. Together, we are helping our teens, families, and community members respond to and prevent sexual abuse. If you missed Giving Tuesday, there is still time to support us! Below, please see updates from the past quarter, followed by ways to get involved by the end of this year and beyond.

With gratitude,

Amber

WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS

Stronger Together Teen Workshops

In October, we offered two healthy relationships workshops at our W. Main Street location. Lauren Peffley, with Crisis Aid St. Louis facilitated an extremely engaging two-part workshop where our girls:

• Talked about green flags of healthy relationships, Yellow flags of unhealthy relationships, and RED flags of abusive relationships
• Discussed various topics such as: Communication, boundaries, healing from trauma, self-worth, and so much more

If it sounds like we have two locations, it’s because WE DO! We are thrilled to share that we now have additional office space located in downtown Belleville. This generous donation allows us to expand our programming. Thank you to Barry Haden for generously donating the space!

It’s All of Our Business Community Workshops

We were proud to partner with Macedonia Baptist Church in East St. Louis for the first time in October. The Church generously hosted our first Online Exploitation Prevention workshop in collaboration with Crisis Aid for over 20 participants, one of our largest groups to date. Attendees learned about the dynamics of predatory online behaviors and received information that supported parents and guardians to mitigate the risk of their children falling prey to victimization and/or further victimization (leading to future trafficking or exploitation). The workshop culminated with a dinner for the attendees.

Sexual Abuse Prevention Workshop

This month, we offered two sexual abuse prevention workshops to the community, one at the non-for-profit CDBG Family Living Center, which fosters the development of affordable and decent housing opportunities and related community services in East St. Louis. The second took place at Vivian Adams early learning center, where parents learned about grooming behaviors and child sexual abuse prevention practices. We engaged in rich discussions about the importance of teaching children body safety and consent language as a preventative measure. We also connected families with additional resources for therapeutic support.

NEW TRAINING PROGRAM

We teamed up with the St. Clair County Sheriff’s department, a new partnership, to offer our first Compassionate Interactions training. With approximately 120 officers in attendance, the two trainings featured an inside perspective of a non-offending caregiver, and invited the officers to consider the importance of building rapport and connecting families to local resources as they navigate the recovery process. We hope to expand this training in 2023.

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NEW SUPPORT GROUP

On December 5th, we launched a bi-monthly support group, led by a therapist, for non-offending caregivers whose children were victims of sexual abuse or trafficking. Led by a therapist, we are so proud of this group of amazing parents who have come together to learn from and support each other. We currently have five caregivers participating and have three spots left.

 SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT

In November I spoke at the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Mississippi’s One Loud Voice Conference about my family’s experience with child sexual abuse and the importance of advocacy and special considerations for families in crisis. It was a phenomenal experience to present and to learn from leaders in the field. Thank you to Children’s Advocacy Centers of Mississippi for inviting me to present.

Donate Today!

Dear Friends,

With your support, the Kerengende Foundation is on track for its most impactful year to date! We are excited to share with you our current and upcoming programs and partnerships that support our teens, families, and community members. We also share below what is on the horizon as we press forward in our work to respond to and prevent sexual abuse, as well as ways to get involved. Thank you for your pivotal support that enables us to advocate for those who need our services the most.     

With gratitude,

Amber

WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS

Stronger Together: Program for Teens

In January 2023, we hosted two Stronger Together Workshops with Belleville East and West high school students in collaboration with Project Compassion. Rachel R. Jackson-Poole invited us to bring our Healthy Relationships Curriculum to engage students in meaningful dialogue, delving into concepts of consent, healthy relationship boundaries and safety planning. Our program was facilitated by one of our community educators, Hannah Rosenthal, along with our founder. Not only was this a learning experience for those who participated, but we also learned a lot from our students about what matters to them and what concerns they have in their day-to-day lives about staying safe and having healthy relationships.

It’s All of Our Business: Our Boys are Vulnerable, Too

Towards the end of January, we hosted a workshop titled, “Our Boys Are Vulnerable, Too” in collaboration with Just Black Thoughts. This online event featured a diverse panel of youth advocates, social workers, and academics with more than 50 years of combined experience who discussed identifying risk factors for silent victims of sexual abuse, exploitation, and trafficking of young boys. The panel was centered on boys, often left out of the national conversation on sexual exploitation and sex trafficking, and informed our families of the latent and active threats facing young men, especially boys of color from low-income communities.

Support Groups

As we shared in our last newsletter, in December we launched a bi-monthly support group, led by a therapist, for non-offending caregivers whose children were victims of sexual abuse or trafficking.  We have offered seven support group sessions to date, and overall, we have seen a significant amount of growth and healing that resulted from these conversations. We want to share our gratitude to Call for Help and Marilyn Holmes for collaborating with us, facilitating these group conversations, and creating spaces for parents to both heal and gain necessary tools to prevent additional harm to their children.

Community Outreach

Kerengende Foundation exhibited at the National Symposium on the Sexual Behavior of Youth in Norman, Oklahoma on February 21st – 23rd. We learned so much about problematic sexual behaviors (PSB), sexual harm initiated by other children and resources available to families of children exhibiting problematic sexual behavior. This spring, Kerengende will host a speaker to educate our community about PSB and how we can support youth and their families. Statistics show that 36% of child sexual abuse is initiated by other children. As a community, it’s imperative we understand how to identify and treat youth with PSB to prevent sexual harm against children.

On March 4th, our Community Outreach initiative exhibited at a Health Resource Fair hosted by 21st Century and Cahokia Unified School District. We distributed 30 resource guides and donated twelve Body Safety and Consent Books, purchased with your generous Giving Tuesday funds (thank you!!). This Resource Fair allowed us to build relationships and intentionally connect with roughly 100 parents, teens, and community organizations to catalyze our efforts to promote healing and prevention of sexual exploitation.

Our Board President, James Clayborne, tabled with us, stamped bingo cards and shared Kerengende’s mission with the community!

With your generous donations, we delivered Body Consent and Safety books to Family Life Living Center in East St. Louis. We are excited to partner with them in support of families.

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Staff Updates

Kerengende has 3 new contractor additions to our team! We continue to leverage the talents of contractors to give us flexibility as we grow

Mikayla Dunkin is our new Community Educator. Mikayla has a Master’s Degree in Social Work and has experience developing and delivering presentations and trainings, events, and fundraising for anti-trafficking efforts in the greater St. Louis region. Mikayla will focus on further developing our curriculums and facilitating our community workshops. We are excited to have Mikayla on the team!

Antwan Chambers will focus on our LGBTQ Child Sexual Abuse Prevention initiative. Antwan has an extensive background serving underserved youth and supporting organizations building youth-serving programs. He was an LGBTQ Youth facilitator and researched topics relevant to LGBTQ+ youth development and distributed resources and information to youth, parents, and caregivers.

Micah Prior is a social and economic development social worker and public health practitioner. He recently joined the team to provide administrative, research, and technical support for a variety of initiatives across our organization. 

Upcoming Programs

On March 27th, we are returning to the Family Living Center in East St. Louis to facilitate the workshop “Understanding My ACES & Practices for Healing.” This is Kerengende’s second workshop at FLL and we will introduce the Adverse Childhood Experience Study and how an individual’s score may impact the way that they respond to stress. “Why is it so hard for me to trust people? Why do little things like my toddler screaming or dropping and breaking a plate – make me so angry or tense?” We will offer ways to heal their way forward and experience post-traumatic growth. Thank you Amosnee Davis for inviting us back! 

Our Boys Are Vulnerable, Too #2

On April 4th, from 5:30-7 PM, the panel will focus primarily on the vulnerability factors facing our young boys and men regarding sexual exploitation and sex trafficking. While the first panel of youth advocates, academics, and social workers opened and framed this discussion on the topic of sexual exploitation against boys, this second panel will bring together practitioners in social work, public health, education, and social activism to discuss specifically the signs and symptoms of sexual violence against our boys. Given the diverse backgrounds of the panelists, you do not want to miss such an informative, interdisciplinary dialogue! Click HERE to register!

Healthy Relationships Teen Workshop

On April 13th and 20th, Kerengende Foundation is collaborating with Crisis Aid and Lauren Peffley to host our Spring Healthy Relationships two-day workshop, “What Love Means To Me.”  The workshops will be facilitated at 6611 W Main St. Please see the registration page HERE. 

Unlock the Cage with Rachel Grant: Overcoming Fear & Anxiety

The workshop explores how anxiety immobilizes us and how to stop missing out on life, as a result. The goal of this workshop is to equip participants to identify core fears preventing transformation and how to manage fear and anxiety and take action in recovering from sexual trauma. You can register for her event here.

Macedonia Baptist Church has invited our founder to present on the mission of Kerengende at the Church’s Women’s Conference on May 4th. Thank you to Pastor Horton and First Lady Shaurice Horton for including us in their programming!

How You Can Make an Impact

Dear Friends,

As we transition from the summer season into the cooler days of fall, we wanted to share some exciting updates and express our gratitude for your continued support. We’ve had a busy, exciting summer, steadily expanding our services, our team, and our impact!

We could not do this work without you and our community partners. As we grow to reach more youth, educate more parents, and serve more survivors and their families – you are helping us make a difference.

We believe in the strength of our community to bring awareness and prevention to sexual abuse and human trafficking and to create a safe and nurturing environment for all. Thank you for being a part of our mission, and together, let’s continue to be advocates for those who need our services the most.

 With gratitude,

Amber Clayborne, Founder

SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS

Family Living Center

We continued our monthly workshops at the Family Living Center. Our groups centered around critical topics such as parenting, modeling consent and holding boundaries with family and community members. We are happy to provide childcare during our groups so that parents and caregivers are able to show up. Our sessions are pivotal in ensuring the safety and well-being of our children, and we’re grateful for the Family Life Center’s dedication to facilitating these sessions.

The Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center

ounder Amber Clayborne had the privilege of presenting a Child Sexual Abuse Prevention training to staff at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center in East St. Louis. We highlighted key policies, shedding light on the critical importance of safeguarding our children. We are so thankful for organizations like the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center. Their engagement not only reflects their genuine care for our community, but also exemplifies their strong commitment to fostering community connections and ensuring protection for all.

Mental Health Fair

This summer we also tabled at the Mental Health Fair at the East St. Louis public library through a collaborative effort between Chestnut Health System and COFI (Community Organizing and Family Issues). It was a fantastic opportunity to promote prevention and education within our community and connect with other agencies supporting mental health like CASA, Brightpoint, and Hoyleton. We are thrilled to have been part of this event. 

Back to School Events

In August, our Youth and Family Counselor, Hannah Rosenthal, tabled at the Cahokia School District’s back to school event, engaging with at least 50 parents to discuss Kerengende Foundation’s offerings and the services we will be providing to the district this fall. We are excited to build meaningful relationships with parents and students this school year! 

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Your Support, Our Gratitude: A Huge Thank You to the Church of Latter-Day Saints in O’Fallon

We are proud to share that we have continued to provide case management and advocacy services to youth who have been impacted by human trafficking and sexual abuse and plan to grow these services this school year. Our services encompass a range of vital components, all aimed at helping survivors regain their sense of agency, security, and hope.

Our Youth and Family Counselor, Hannah, provides psychoeducation and coaching support on topics such as:

• Healthy relationships (e.g., boundaries, consent, and safe touch), positive decision-making, stress, trauma, and emotion regulation
• Development of skills in self-advocacy, effective communication, conflict resolution, and stress management 
• Guidance with goal-setting and future planning, as well as help building executive functioning and life skills
• Support with growing positive self-esteem and increasing confidence in strengths and abilities

Our doors are always open. If you know of anyone who requires our support or if you have any questions regarding our case management services, please do not hesitate to reach out. We believe that every child deserves to live in a safe and nurturing environment, and we are here to make that a reality. Please contact Amber via our Contact Form.

Upcoming Programs and Events:

Educate, Empower, Protect – Healthy Relationships Workshops for Students

We are excited to announce our first major school district partnership with Cahokia School District #187! Beginning this fall, we brought our Healthy Relationships 7-week curriculum (Educate, Empower, Protect) to Cahokia middle schools to highlight self-esteem, communication, healthy behaviors, and red flags in relationships, as well as sexual abuse and human trafficking prevention.

This partnership will enable us to reach a larger number of schools and students, equipping them with valuable skills for their relationships. With engaging discussions, interactive activities, and valuable resources, we aim to empower students with skills that will serve them well as they cultivate and experience relationships. We believe that by fostering healthy connections among our youth, we can create a safer environment and reduce the risk of sexual abuse and human trafficking.

Non-Offending Caregiver Support Group:

This fall, we are kicking off another Non-Offending Caregiver Support Group to provide a safe space for parents and caregivers of children who have experienced sexual abuse to share, heal, and connect. Our support groups are led by Marilyn Holmes, LCPC ATR-BC.

We have spaces available and would love to have you join. If you are seeking support, this group will give you a compassionate community, expert guidance, and a safe and confidential environment. If you are interested in joining or have a referral, contact Amber via our Contact Form.

Staff Updates:

Additional Highlights

Thank you for being an essential part of our mission. Your support means the world to us.