ATLANTA — Wellspring Living Executive Director Mary Frances Bowley this month received the City of Atlanta Phoenix Award from Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.
As the city’s highest honor, the Phoenix Award recognizes those who have made significant contributions to Atlanta.
Bowley was honored for her long-term commitment to supporting human trafficking survivors and implementing a nation-leading model to provide survivors with transformative care.
“I am so grateful to work alongside Mayor Bottoms and many other strong leaders to provide care and long-term support to survivors who have endured so much but have so much potential for the future,” Bowley said. “I’m honored to receive the Phoenix Award on behalf of all those who have contributed, donated and offered their time to make Wellspring Living a such strong resource. Wellspring Living has impacted so many lives, and I look forward to continuing to share this successful model with advocates across the nation.”
Bottoms also announced the award of a $200,000 grant from a partnership between Wells Fargo and the U.S. Conference of Mayors to support Wellspring Living’s Women’s Academy.
“The Women’s Academy offers a pathway to survivors seeking living wage employment,” Bowley said. “This incredible gift will help many women build a bridge from poverty, sexual abuse and trafficking to the self-sufficiency that comes with proper job skills and opportunity. On behalf of all those whose lives will forever change for the better, we say ‘thank you.’”
The Wellspring Living Women’s Academy offers GED completion, career readiness training and placement in apprenticeships that lead to living wage jobs. Among graduates, 77 percent are employed full time and 75 percent say they wouldn’t have been able to complete the program without the additional services provided, including transportation and childcare.
Founded in 2001, Wellspring Living is a non-profit organization that provides domestic sex trafficking victims and those at risk with specialized recovery services through three residential programs and two community-based programs.
The programs provide transformative care through therapeutic services, education, life skills, and personal and professional development. The focus for each participant is on developing their courage to move forward and their confidence to succeed. For more information visit https://wellspringliving.org/.
