As Allan and I travel on the Soles4Souls RV Tour, we look for people in need that might by under-served with donations.That’s how we came across Survivors of Torture International, in San Diego. It’s shocking to know there are 11,000 survivors of torture in San Diego County alone.
Survivors of Torture International is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to caring for survivors of politically motivated torture and their families who live in San Diego County.
Since 1997, SURVIVORS has helped survivors to recover from their traumas through a holistic program including medical, dental, psychiatric, psychological, and social services. Legal services are offered through a partnership with a nonprofit immigration law firm.
SURVIVORS empowers torture survivors to reclaim the strength and vitality that were stolen from them by brutal dictators and governments. The specialized care SURVIVORS provides these vulnerable individuals helps them to become self-sufficient and healthy members of their families and of our community.
We were blessed to meet with Kathy, the founder of the organization, and Trish, to donate new shoes for the men, women and children they work with. One family had three boys playing on the school soccer team in tennis shoes because they couldn’t afford cleats. We quickly went to Big Five and bought them each soccer shoes so they can enjoy kicking those winning goals. Once again, we were in awe of the people we met who do so much to help people in need. Kathy brought in a quilt jointly made by some church volunteers and several victims of torture. Making the quilt brought healing and friendship to the two women whose lives had been so affected by torture.
