Executive Director & Co-Founder: Bonnie Gatchell
Route One
The mission of Route One Ministry is to reach women and young girls sexually exploited by the commercial sex industry by entering strip clubs and building relationships with the women who work in the clubs. We hope to reflect Christ by listening and equipping vulnerable women with the resources they need to leave the sex industry for good. We further provide the local church and community leaders with the tools they need to understand trafficking, identify vulnerable people, and respond healthily.
Ministry Description
Since 2010 Route One has trained Christian women with the skills and mindset needed to enter strip clubs and build safe, long-term relationships with the women who work in the clubs. Our first outreach was on Christmas Eve in 2010, reaching 25 dancers. Currently, we serve 70 women weekly by entering five strip clubs across the state of Massachusetts. Over the past 14 years, we have grown from a local church ministry serving one club in Peabody, MA, to a multi-city independent non-profit serving Revere, Boston, Worcester, and Springfield.
Notable Accomplishments in the past 12 months
What has occurred that has moved the mission and vision of the ministry forward? In the past 12 months, Route One has achieved several significant milestones that have advanced its mission and vision:
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Staffing Expansion: With support from Protein and other grantors, Route One hired a full-time Director of Outreach and a part-time administrator. These roles have expanded the ministry’s capacity, increasing the reach of services, enhancing strategic planning, and facilitating new partnerships with churches and nonprofits across the region. The Director of Outreach now manages outreach programs across the Commonwealth, engaging around 70 women each week. This has allowed Bonnie, the Executive Director, to focus more on strategic development, networking with potential donors and partners, and creating a multi-faceted approach to reach and support exploited women. Upcoming initiatives include a middle school outreach program.
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Strengthened Governance: Three new board members with relevant expertise have joined our ranks, positioning Route One for continued growth and impact.
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Leadership Development: Bonnie received the Duke Divinity Reflective Leadership Grant, which supports her and her team in structured reflection and adaptive leadership, especially valuable in today’s rapidly evolving social environment. Only 50 leaders from faith-based organizations were selected for this honor.
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Direct Impact: Over the past year, Route One has successfully helped 12 women transition out of the sex industry and into alternative employment. Three of these women now attend church regularly with Route One staff and volunteers. One particularly impactful story is that of Taynka, who, after enduring a difficult past, including time in foster care and work in a strip club, has now left that environment, become sober, joined a church community, and even achieved ordination. Local Route One volunteers continue to support her in her journey.
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Volunteer and Community Growth: Inspired in large part by Taynka’s story, Route One’s outreach volunteer base has grown by 15% over the last year, allowing the organization to connect more women with resources beyond regular outreach activities.
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Expanded Training and Community Education: Route One has greatly expanded its training initiatives over the past year, empowering church leaders and community members to better understand, identify, and respond to the realities of trafficking and exploitation. Training participation has surged from 300 individuals in 2021 to over 2,500 in 2023, reflecting a remarkable increase in community engagement and awareness. Alongside its well-established Trafficking 101" program, Route One launched a new specialized training module, “Trauma, Abuse, and Pastoral Response,” which addresses critical topics in supporting vulnerable individuals. This module has been instrumental in equipping more than 600 church leaders nationwide with practical, trauma-informed approaches to pastoral care. By fostering deeper empathy and understanding within faith communities, Route One is building a network of informed advocates committed to the protection and support of women at risk, thereby strengthening the community’s role in combating exploitation.
These accomplishments underscore Route One’s commitment to expanding its reach and deepening its impact in supporting women affected by sexual exploitation.
