Survivors felt ‘retrafficked’ by Fresno nonprofit. Assemblyman calls for accountability

Human trafficking survivors were joined by Assemblyman Jim Patterson on Thursday to demand Fresno nonprofit Made For Them be held accountable for numerous allegations against the organization.

Made For Them effectively closed last week after all its staff positions were eliminated and its board of directors resigned within days of explosive allegations being filed with state and local agencies.

Patterson, R-Fresno, said during a news conference organized by his office that when human trafficking survivors went to Made For Them for help, “they were not provided the care they needed – therapy, life skills, job training.”

Instead, Patterson continued, “They were retraumatized, and in many ways, retrafficked, by the very organization that is supposed to help them get out of trafficking and move ahead.”

Human trafficking is a form of slavery where people profit from the control and exploitation of others, including workers and victims sold for sex.

Patterson’s office started investigating Made For Them after hearing concerns a year ago while authoring legislation that makes it easier for human trafficking victims in California to clear their records of non-violent offenses.

The news conference followed a report published by The Fresno Bee, detailing allegations against Made For Them.

Human trafficking survivors wanted help but got hurt. Fresno nonprofit closes – for now

Ashleigh Rocker Greene, while serving as interim director of Made For Them, asked the California Attorney General’s Office for an investigation “pertaining to illegal solicitation, fraud, deception, theft, misuse of assets, compliance violations of Articles of Incorporation & falsified statements,” and also reported the alleged crimes to the Fresno Police Department. She was fired a couple days later by a volunteer board that then resigned – except for its chair, founder Andrea Shabaglian, who was installed without Rocker Greene’s knowledge after Shabaglian had to resign as executive director this summer.

Shabaglian has since shared statements about plans to “restructure” Made For Them. She told The Bee this week in an email that she has a new, small board of directors, but declined to name its members.

Rocker Greene additionally filed a report with the IRS on Tuesday, alleging Made For Them didn’t properly report and manage the donations it received.

The organization improperly continued to raise money and hold large fundraiser events during a 25-month period when its tax-exempt nonprofit status had been revoked by the state.

Some former Made For Them clients – human trafficking survivors – also filed wage theft claims earlier this year with the California Labor Commissioner’s Office, stating they weren’t paid for a lot of the work they did for the organization, including catering events, and making soap and jewelry that was sold by Made For Them.

Made For Them described itself a number of ways over the past decade, including combating human trafficking “through design, fashion and the arts,” and providing services to “heal, empower and employ” survivors in a “Christian environment.” Shabaglian, also an event planner, held many large Made For Them fundraiser galas, supported by many Fresno leaders and businesses.

Human trafficking survivors share more of their experiences

In addition to the wage theft allegations, human trafficking survivor Arien Pauls-Garcia said she was hurt and exploited by Made For Them.

She founded the Central Valley Thriver Council earlier this year that shared YouTube videos about survivors’ painful experiences with Made For Them.

Pauls-Garcia said early in her healing journey, Shabaglian asked her to share her human trafficking story last-minute while at a large fundraiser.

“I got up in front of 400 people and shared the deepest parts of the trauma that I experienced, without yet receiving any help for mental services that was first promised to me when I went to Made For Them,” Pauls-Garcia said.

She said there were times when she was homeless, pregnant, and in a domestic violence situation, and yet still didn’t receive the help she needed from Made For Them when they were supposed to be helping protect her.

“At one point, when my newborn daughter was born and I needed diapers, I went to Andrea and I asked for help, not knowing that they actually had a surplus of supplies ... and was told no,” Pauls-Garcia said. “And was told that I was given the means and the know-how of how to support and provide for my child, and I went back out onto the streets to provide for my newborn child.”

Joycelynn Jones, a former Made For Them case manager and human trafficking survivor, recalled rooms filled with donated items that she said Shabaglian kept from survivors.

“And particularly, donations from other nonprofits like Poverello House, the Fresno County EOC, and the Fresno Rescue Mission,” Jones said, “from Thanksgiving dinners to hygiene products to clothing items, baby items, diapers. Just miscellaneous items that were meant to be donated to the survivors. Not only were they not donated to the survivors, they weren’t donated to anyone.”

Made For Them opened a store last year, The Find, in Fresno’s River Park shopping center, that sold some donated items.

Jones said many were hurt by Made For Them’s “over-promising and under-delivery” of services.

Pauls-Garcia said when she finally received therapy from Made For Them, it was with college students who came and went, forcing her to repeat her trauma “over and over again” as she explained what happened to her with new people.

She said she didn’t get the help she needed until after she left the organization.

Pauls-Garcia said while her experiences as a client of the organization were in 2013, as recently as last year, she saw Made For Them exploit a human trafficking victim who was still on the streets by having that person publicly share her story – a very “non-trauma-informed approach.”

Questions remain. Patterson: Made For Them is a performance

“This organization has unfortunately manipulated and taken advantage of the most vulnerable among us,” Patterson said. “I think it’s time that they be held accountable.”

The allegations filed against Made For Them remain under investigation. Rocker Greene said she hasn’t been contacted by authorities since her reports were filed this month. Some survivors’ wage theft claims are moving forward while others are hindered by a statute of limitations – in this instance, survivors need to file allegations within five years of working at Made For Them to be eligible for compensation, Jones said.

Pauls-Garcia said she’s left with many unanswered questions.

“Made For Them has claimed to have already closed their doors, but they’re operating a street outreach, which means that they’re coming in contact with victims,” Pauls-Garcia said. “Who’s running this? Where are you referring victims to when partners do not work with you? What has happened to the money? Why has there not yet been any reconciliation from Made For Them and Andrea Shabaglian between the survivors that they harmed? Why has there not been any direct public acknowledgment for the harm that’s been caused, the lies and deceit, and most importantly, how do we keep this from happening again?”

Shabaglian wrote in an email to The Bee that she has “gone to great lengths” seeking reconciliation with the survivors and that there are “always multiple sides” to a story, but declined an offer for an interview last week. Survivors said Shabaglian refused to come to the second session of a professional mediation earlier this year.

“As the founder, it is important that our original intended services remain accessible to those who need it most in the future, while giving us space to pause and prioritize for greater impact,” Shabaglian wrote Tuesday. “This is why we took the humble and necessary steps to rebuild.

“We remain a part of The Central Valley and will continue to look within to be a blessing to our community, and mostly to victims and survivors of human trafficking, and those at risk.”

Former Made For Them board member Oliver Baines, a former Fresno City Council member, said Shabaglian was in charge of the money that went in and out of the organization’s account. Rocker Greene, who was hired by Made For Them in October as its associate director, said there’s been no financial audit or investigation of Made For Them, despite her calls for one, although there is a program audit underway by the Avery Center looking at services provided that should be released soon.

“It is important to note here,” Patterson added, “that there are other very wonderful, professional people in the nonprofit world who are helping survivors and are being true to their commitment, that are turning lives around. And unfortunately, this organization (Made For Them) throws an unnecessary shadow over all of those who are doing such very, very good work.”

Community members who are unsure about who to support should ask questions – and get updates – about where donations go, survivors said. Rocker Greene said reviews of nonprofits posted by organizations like Charity Navigator and Guide Star are also helpful. Other ways to help: Go to trainings to get trauma-informed, and consider hiring human trafficking survivors, Pauls-Garcia said.

Patterson said he often thinks of a story shared with him by a friend who is a pastor. That pastor has a plaque that he can see when entering his pulpit that reads, “Is this a grand performance, or is this an act of love?”

“I have to come away with the conclusion that we’ve seen performance going on,” Patterson said of Made For Them.