What we do

Mission Statement:

RAHAB Ministries provides Christ-centered transformational services to those directly affected by sex trafficking.

For more information about any of our programs, which serve Northeast Ohio, please contact us.

Outreach

RAHAB Ministries started with one woman who went into the streets of Akron to meet women who were being trafficked, offering kindness, prayers, and any possible assistance. Today, more than twenty years later, RAHAB carries on this work by sending teams of trained staff and volunteers into the streets and strip clubs of Stark, Summit, and Cuyahoga Counties to build relationships, offer support, and share the love of Jesus with women in these spaces.  The women we encounter often ask for prayer from the female volunteers who interact with them, while men on the teams wait, pray, and guide our teams. RAHAB volunteers go out on a weekly or monthly basis to build consistent relationships and bring light into dark places.

We are deeply grateful to the following individuals and organizations who have generously sponsored one of RAHAB’s Outreach Teams in 2025 to ensure this important work is carried out! 

Thank you for sponsoring
the Akron Street Team! 

Thank you for sponsoring
Canton Street Team

A generous anonymous donor!

Thank you for sponsoring
the Cleveland Strip Club Team! 

Joel D. Cavanaugh, LLC

Thank you for sponsoring
the Barberton Strip Club Team! 

Thank you for sponsoring
the Canton Strip Club Team! 

We have one more Outreach Teams who needs a 2025 sponsor! Download the sponsorship form and email [email protected] with questions or to secure your sponsorship to keep their important work moving forward! 

Jail Ministries

RAHAB’s trained staff and volunteers connect with incarcerated women by leading group Bible Studies, conducting 1:1 video calls, and in-person visits in correctional facilities in Summit and Stark Counties. Although Bible studies are optional, it is not unusual for more than half of the women in a facility to choose to attend and the women have frequently requested to have our Jail Ministry teams visit more often! This ministry provides a unique opportunity to build relationships with women during their incarceration that can transition with them upon their release, providing critical support for re-entry. 

Little Brighter Future Fund

Thank you for sponsoring
the Akron Summit County Jail Team!

We have three other Jail Ministry Teams who need a 2025 sponsor! Download the sponsorship form and email [email protected] with questions or to secure your sponsorship to keep their important work moving forward! 

Drop-In Homes

RAHAB’s adult Drop-In Homes are intentionally located in Akron and Canton in neighborhoods where crime, prostitution, and other activities that lead to trafficking are prevalent. Open on weekdays, women can stop in for family-style meals, Bible Studies, encouragement and friendship. They are able to shop the free boutique for clothing and hygiene items, can take a shower, receive referrals for additional services specific to their needs, and build a support network. The homes are a safe haven, a respite, and a place where staff and volunteers connect and build intentional relationships with women who visit.

If you believe the Drop-In Home would be helpful for you and your circumstances, please click here for more information on visiting!  

Adult Mentoring

RAHAB partners with the RISE court program at Akron Municipal Court to provide 1:1 mentoring services to adult women who have experienced sex trafficking and/or exploitation. 

Minor Mentoring

RAHAB provides Minor Mentoring for youth aged 12-17 who have been directly affected by sex trafficking in Summit, Stark, Cuyahoga, and Portage Counties. Youth are paired with a healthy adult mentor who meets with them weekly because the presence of a loving, consistent adult can bring healing and the Hope of Jesus into the lives of survivors. Weekly programming and mentoring instill self-esteem and coping skills as staff and volunteers strive to reflect the love of Christ to youth and adult mentees.

RAHAB receives referrals for Minor Mentoring through our partnerships with Summit County Juvenile Court’s Restore Court docket, the first juvenile human trafficking docket certified by the Ohio Supreme Court, Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court’s Safe Harbor Docket, and Akron Municipal Court’s Rise Court for adult survivors. We also accept referrals from the community at large to provide Minor Mentoring to youth who have been sex trafficked. To refer a youth to Minor Mentoring, please click here.

RAHAB also has two juvenile mentoring centers named Selah’s Place, in Akron & Cleveland, for youth to come with a staff member or volunteer mentor to spend time, receive clothing or hygiene items, and enjoy a volunteer-prepared meal. Selah’s place is made possible by our partnership with Restore Court and by the generosity of donors like you throughout the community.

The Willows – Youth Case Management

RAHAB Ministries provides community-based, family-focused case management and respite services through The Willows program. The Willows operates in Summit, Stark, Cuyahoga and Portage Counties to serve youth between the ages of 12 -17 who have experienced sex trafficking and their families. All youth who are in The Willows program also receive 1:1 mentoring services.

To refer a youth to The Willows, please click here.

Education and Training

Education and training are key to preventing and identifying human trafficking. RAHAB representatives have spoken at faith-based churches and events, state-wide conferences, large corporations, top hospitals, law enforcement and first-responder organizations, school in-services, businesses, civic organizations, and many others.

RAHAB is proud to provide free Community Trainings throughout Northeast Ohio that are open to the public for those who want to learn more about sex trafficking in our local community and related topics. To see a list of training topics, upcoming dates, and register, please visit our Community Trainings page.

To request a speaker to provide specialized training or updates on RAHAB’s programs for your event or organization, please click here.

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Human Trafficking 101

Duration: 1 Hour

What it is: HT 101 is an essential teaching on the realities of human trafficking. In this course, we will illuminate the issues of sex trafficking, explain a generalized process for how someone becomes involved in trafficking, and provide practical insight of how trafficking takes place. We will also highlight what we know about traffickers, how someone becomes vulnerable to trafficking, and how demand for commercial sex fuels sex trafficking. By the end of this course, you will be able to articulate the needs and vulnerabilities of trafficking survivors and have knowledge of practical solutions

Who it is for: This course is offered to all members of the community who would like to understand human trafficking and is required for all of RAHAB’s volunteers and staff.  

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