holding out help fundraisers
by Kathy Bence
Holding Out HELP (HOH) will hold two Southern Utah fundraisers this month. HOH’s vision is to “Empower Polygamy Survivors to Thrive” — specializing in those transitioning out of polygamous communities. HOH provides those from a polygamous culture the care, support and resources to become independent and self-sufficient.
St George, Friday, October 17 at 6 pm at South Mountain Community Church.
There will be a dinner and silent auction, with Sam and Melissa Zitting, from the Growing Up in Polygamy Podcast, as emcees.
Tickets can be purchased here.
Cedar City, Saturday, October 18 at 6 pm. at the Courtyard Marriott.
Also, there will be a dinner and silent auction, with Sam and Melissa Zitting, from the Growing Up in Polygamy Podcast, as emcees.
Tickets can be purchased here.
How HOH got started
HOH began in 2008 after a family fled their polygamous community and ended up on Tonia Tewell’s doorstep in the Salt Lake area.
“I was a relatively new Utah resident,” she said, “and I was shocked at what was happening in the United States, and in God’s name — right in my own backyard.”
She learned of closed communities with marriages that were arranged. Education was often a low priority in these communities. Child labor and abuse were normalized and accepted. If members left or were kicked out, they would lose their family, friends, and entire social structure. Not long after this experience, Tonia founded Holding Out HELP.
My Connection
We moved to Southern Utah six years ago and I became aware of some of the problems with this culture. When Alex and Greg Murphy agreed to head up efforts in Southern Utah, I decided this was a meaningful place to put some of my extra time. I enjoy my efforts with a few clients as a volunteer case manager. The Murphys have made their volunteer effort with this organization almost a full-time job. The needs are great in Southern Utah.
More about these efforts
It is estimated that there are 60,000-100,000 polygamists living in the western United States, Canada, and Mexico, with the majority residing in or around Utah. These groups, families, and individuals have a unique story. Most of the individuals HOH serves have faced forms of bondage and trauma.
Sex-trafficking for underage girls and labor-trafficking for underage boys does not just happen in foreign countries. It also happens nearby. As a 501(c)(3) that is independently audited, HOH offers local victims from polygamous cultures the care, support, and resources to become independent and self-sufficient.
Our own backyard
This is an issue in our backyard. We hope to see you there!