Women and girls find refuge from trafficking inside a nondescript building on Morrow Street in Green Bay.

They can attend support groups, eat a warm meal, take a shower, get new clothes or access community resources.

But whatever they do, it’s their choice.

“(Case management) is designed to make sure that every single woman and girl reaches independence. It’s their way. It’s on their terms,” said Carly McClure, operations director for HER Alliance. “We are just here to offer the support needed along that way to help them become the best version of themselves.”

The nonprofit organization formerly known as Awaken has served 251 women and girls since June 2022, according to the organization’s most recent Impact Report. In addition to directly supporting survivors, HER Alliance offers education sessions for the community about the dangers of human trafficking.

‘Uphill battle’

Trafficking is abuse, McClure said, and the survivors who seek help at HER Alliance make several attempts to leave their situations for good, similar to people in domestic violence situations.

“The uphill battle that everybody is facing in this position is, first of all, societal stigma,” McClure said.

In 2025, the organization provided 4,908 units of service. A unit of service, for example, could be a meal, a call to the warmline or a referral to a community resource, among others, McClure said.

A drawing of two hands includes the phrases “HOLD ON…” and “LET GO OF…” above the hands with words such as “faith,” “friendship,” “compassion,” “anxiety” and “pride” written on the fingers. — Art made by trafficking survivors is seen at HER Alliance on April 30, 2026, in Green Bay, Wis. (Jen Zettel-Vandenhouten / Wisconsin Watch)

Community members in general tend to think trafficking starts with a stranger kidnapping someone, and while that does happen, it’s not common, McClure said.

“Trafficking begins with the grooming process. It’s happening to our children online more often than not now, and a trafficker is typically targeting someone that already trusts them,” she said. “So familial trafficking in Wisconsin is one of the highest forms of trafficking that we see.”

The intake process at HER Alliance happens in a quiet, private room with cozy furniture. The conversation is different for every person because needs vary, McClure said.

Generally, staff ask questions to learn if a person’s basic needs are being met:

Do they have safe housing?
Do they have access to food? Clothing?
Are they employed?
Are they in school?

Each person decides what support – if any – the person wants from HER Alliance, McClure said. Staff can connect people to community organizations to meet their specific needs, though local nonprofits also refer people to HER Alliance.

The Brown County Jail refers many clients. HER Alliance has a full-time outreach case manager who spends most of her time working with women and girls at the jail, McClure said.

Varying degrees of help

The organization operates what it calls a warmline – a 24/7 phone line staffed by a HER Alliance case manager. An important distinction, McClure said: The warmline is not a crisis line.

“The warmline is available for people to call if they need (nonemergency) help, or if they’re already in contact with us and have already had an intake (session) – that number is for their use,” she said.

Some people call the warmline just once, seeking advice or resources.

A sign reading “HER Alliance Please Sign In” is in the front of a room with couches, chairs, a television and wall decor including a sign that reads “gather” — The programming area at HER Alliance, seen on April 30, 2026, in Green Bay, Wis., includes cozy furniture and homey touches meant to help trafficking survivors feel welcome in the space. (Jen Zettel-Vandenhouten / Wisconsin Watch)

Others seek additional help. HER Alliance offers weekly peer-to-peer support groups in a space that looks like a living room. There are couches, comfortable chairs, a TV, plants, a bookshelf and more.

Clients can schedule one-on-one appointments with a case manager, or drop in during designated hours depending on their needs.

A small kitchenette with a coffee station, a toaster oven and a refrigerator sits in the back of the building. Volunteers supply meals weekly, and frozen meals are always available.

Clients can take a shower in one of the facility’s two restrooms, or “shop” a small boutique filled with gently used clothing, outerwear and shoes. Women and girls who complete an intake session and receive services get a punch card to shop the boutique, McClure said.

“So if they have an interview coming up, or they’re going to school, or they just need new clothes, or they need new shoes, this is available to them throughout the year,” she said.

Getting involved

Carmen Van Schyndel first learned about HER Alliance in 2024, during a TAT Freedom Drivers Project event co-hosted by her employer, Breakthrough. She remembers walking through an exhibit in a semi-trailer focused on the stories of trafficking survivors and their experiences.

Prior to that, Van Schyndel thought human trafficking was something that happened in big cities like Chicago, not around Green Bay.

But the experience “hit home,” she said.

A poster reading “I AM WORTHY” is decorated with colorful words including “thoughtful,” “creative,” “funny” and “peace maker,” along with stickers and butterfly shapes. — Art made by trafficking survivors is seen at HER Alliance in Green Bay, Wis., on April 30, 2026. (Jen Zettel-Vandenhouten / Wisconsin Watch)

Van Schyndel spoke with HER Alliance staff at the event and started learning more. She joined the organization’s Advisory Board and later its Board of Directors. She now serves as the board secretary.

She hopes to one day measure success by seeing the number of people HER Alliance serves decline. That will be a signal that the organization’s education, advocacy and community outreach efforts are making a difference.

“There’s still a need. There are still people that are not getting help who need it,” Van Schyndel said. “We still need to grow, but I think over time, as we really watch those numbers, I hope that those numbers go down, and those will be really good signs we’re making an impact in the community.”

What’s next?

HER Alliance acquired space next to its office in 2025, and it has big plans for it, McClure said.

The programming area that looks like a living room will move as a result of the expansion, and McClure said they plan to add a full kitchen with an oven – an upgrade from the kitchenette and the toaster oven they currently use.

“Now we’re kind of waiting on some grants to finish developing this space,” she said.

Find resources

If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, contact HER Alliance:

HER Alliance warmline: (920) 333-1701
Email HER Alliance through the “Get Help” page on its website.

How to help

Want to raise awareness about human trafficking, volunteer your time or donate to HER Alliance? Here’s how:

HER Alliance holds education sessions on human trafficking throughout the year, though they take a break in the summer. Email info@heralliance.org to learn when the sessions will start in the fall, or keep an eye on the HER Alliance events calendar.
Volunteer with the organization: Fill out an interest form online.
Donate to HER Alliance through its website here.

This story is part of Community at Work, an ongoing feature series focused on community organizations that make a difference in northeast Wisconsin. Who should we feature next? Email jzvandenhouten@wisconsinwatch.org.

Originally published by Wisconsin Watch.

Jen Zettel-VandenhoutenArticles

HER Alliance combats human trafficking one person at a time

Jen Zettel-VandenhoutenArticles

HER Alliance combats human trafficking one person at a time