This is the first article in our new Parenting with A Purpose series, highlighting Macaroni Moms & Dads that are working on unique and interesting projects in our community and deserve to have some attention brought to their mission. Anastasia Karloutsos was my no brainer first choice for the first Parent with A Purpose article. She is my friend, one of the most giving and humble human beings I know and while she would be the first to help wave your flag she is not likely (really unlikely) to wave her own.
Anastasia resides in Southampton with her husband Constantine Lazarakis, Parish Priest at Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church of the Hamptons and her three beautiful children.
Located in Calverton, the mission of the HOPE Project is to help women recover from the trauma of being trafficked. The HOPE Project was co-founded with the nuns of the All Saints Monastery in Calverton. The project will aim to provide each woman two years of housing, food, medical, dental, emotional, educational support and job training through White Field Farm. In addition to rent free housing, women in residence will have a paid position at White Field Farm. The HOPE Project is not yet up and running; it is still in the fundraising and information gathering stage. Their hope is that by proving this stability for these women they will be able to focus on healing with the eventual goal of creating a new life for themselves free from abuse. It is VERY hard to break free from the patterns of abuse because it is difficult after so many years to think or feel that you are WORTH being saved. The HOPE Project will help these women find their self worth again.
Once the HOPE Project is up and running, and there are women in the house, they will start education programs for parents and children in the surrounding area. It is important that people understand that trafficking can happen to anyone. If we choose to think "not in my community or not my kid" then we are not understanding how the world works. Long Island is one of the areas in the US where human trafficking is most widespread. Many parents ask Anastasia where the people who are trafficked come from and many are runaways. Some kids/women get into a relationship where they thought they were being loved, but instead they were being abused. We need to learn the warning signs so that we are able to help OUR children to keep from falling down the rabbit hole!
"Before children I did volunteer work; in my family, that is just the way things are done. You jump in when needed. I always had great examples in my life of people who helped others. With my own children, I try to do what my parents did with me. I expose them to opportunities to help others and I hope that they will decide to jump in and help make someone else's day better."
"With the HOPE Project kids play a HUGE part in what we are trying to do. I think about my own children and how I want to make the world a safer place for them and it motivates me to speak to people and educate them and change the way things are done."
"I hope that my kids understand the famous Margaret Mead quote Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, commited citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. We all have the power to make someone else's life better. It's an amazing lesson to learn."
How can the community help? Bean2Tween is taking clothing donations for women in shelters. Once the house is open if you have a trade or passion, there will be opportunities to share it with the women living in the house.
For more information visit hopeprojectny.org.
