Waymakers

Today, on World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, Waymakers and the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force stand united in a message our community must hear:

Human trafficking is not a “somewhere else” problem. It is an Orange County problem.

It can happen in neighborhoods, schools, workplaces and online, often hidden behind manipulation, coercion and false promises. This year’s theme, “Trapped Behind the Scam,” highlights a growing form of trafficking in which victims are recruited through fake job opportunities and forced to operate online romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud and other cyber-enabled crimes.

Behind every scam may be another victim—someone being controlled through threats, violence, surveillance or debt.

Here in Orange County, Waymakers and the many agencies that make up the OCHTTF work together to provide education and outreach, prevention programs, coordinated direct services and compassionate support for survivors. But ending human trafficking requires the involvement of our entire community.

You can help by learning the warning signs, sharing trusted information, volunteering, supporting prevention efforts or making a donation. Volunteer opportunities include community outreach, mentoring, life-skills coaching, interpreting, special events and more.

Together, we can build a community where exploitation is recognized, survivors are supported and trafficking has nowhere to hide.

Learn how you can get involved locally visit Waymakers Volunteer Opportunities⁠ via the link in our profile .

Learn more about the 2026 global campaign by visiting UNODC.org

Have a heart for victims of 💙

Something wonderful is taking shape at Waymakers… 💙

After seeing a Waymakers staff member’s call for help on LinkedIn, one incredibly generous family stepped forward and provided funding for new couches at our Tustin Youth Shelter, a peaceful backyard meditation garden and additional support for programs throughout Waymakers!

This is the power of sharing a need and the incredible difference one family can make.

We can’t wait to show you the completed projects and introduce you to the generous family making it all possible. Stay tuned! ✨

🍎 Community Partner Spotlight: FOCUS Orange County 💙

Every month, the youth at Waymakers’ Tustin Youth Shelter are reminded that they are supported by a community that truly cares.

A heartfelt thank you to FOCUS Orange County for their ongoing partnership and generosity in providing nutritious food for the young people staying at our shelter. Their commitment helps ensure our youth have access to healthy meals while they focus on healing, stability, and building a brighter future.

FOCUS Orange County works alongside churches, nonprofits, schools, businesses, and hundreds of dedicated volunteers to distribute food and essential items to individuals and families across Orange County. In 2025 alone, they have distributed more than 58,000 pounds of food with the help of 639 volunteers who contributed over 1,255 hours of service.

Partnerships like this make a lasting difference. Thank you, FOCUS Orange County, for helping us create a place where every young person feels cared for, nourished, and supported.

Together, we’re building a stronger, more compassionate Orange County.

Every survivor’s path to safety is made possible through collaboration. 💙

As co-chair of the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force, Waymakers is honored to work alongside our dedicated partners in law enforcement, prosecution, victim services, healthcare, education, and community organizations. Together, we each play a critical role in protecting survivors, preventing exploitation, and holding traffickers accountable.

Recently, Waymakers’ 24/7 Human Trafficking Crisis Response team responded to assist a teenage survivor. Within 16 hours, our victim advocates coordinated emergency housing, food, transportation, emotional support, and communication with the survivor’s family. With the support of law enforcement and TSA, the teen was safely reunited with family in another state and continues to receive ongoing support from our advocates.

This outcome is a reminder that no one agency can do this work alone. Thank you to every partner that makes up the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force. Your commitment, compassion, and teamwork make a life-changing difference every single day.

🚓💙 Orange County, come say hi!

Waymakers is excited to be part of 11 National Night Out celebrations across Orange County starting tomorrow—and we’d love to meet you!

National Night Out is all about bringing neighbors together, strengthening relationships with local law enforcement, and creating safer, more connected communities. It’s an evening filled with family-friendly fun, community resources, activities, and opportunities to get to know the people who help make our neighborhoods stronger.

✨ Stop by our booth to meet the Waymakers team, learn about the services we provide throughout Orange County, and discover how we’re working alongside our community to create hope, healing, and safety.

📍 With 11 events happening across the county, there’s a good chance we’ll be in a neighborhood near you!

👇 Tell us which city you’ll be visiting—we can’t wait to see you there!

🎓 Looking for a Mental Health Internship?

Are you a college student interested in mental health, social work, psychology, counseling, human services, public health, or family studies? Gain meaningful, hands-on experience while earning academic credit through a Waymakers undergraduate internship!

As a Waymakers intern at the Tustin Youth Shelter, you’ll have the opportunity to support youth and families, learn from experienced professionals, and build valuable skills for a career in the helping professions.

📚 Internship Requirements:
✔️ Must be 21 years or older by the start of the internship
✔️ Complete 80 hours during the semester or quarter
✔️ Commit to two 5-hour shifts per week
✔️ Flexible scheduling with weekday, weekend, morning, and evening shifts available
✔️ Unpaid internship for academic credit
If you’re passionate about making a difference in the lives of young people and families, we’d love to hear from you.

📩 Send resume to Bryn to apply: [email protected]

🎉 Congratulations to the newest graduates of Waymakers’ Dispute Resolution Services (DRS) Mediation Training!

This year, 18 new mediators successfully completed our comprehensive 25-hour hybrid mediation training, gaining valuable skills in conflict resolution, active listening, communication, managing strong emotions, balancing power dynamics, and resolving impasses.

This incredible graduating class included:
✨ Five UCI Field Study interns continuing their service with Waymakers through mentorship from our DRS team.
✨ Three Waymakers employees, including our Human Resources Director.
✨ Ten community members committed to strengthening their conflict resolution skills in both their professional and personal lives.

We’re especially excited that eight of those community participants applied to become DRS volunteers, helping bring compassionate, effective mediation services to even more people throughout our community.

At Waymakers, we believe that teaching people how to navigate conflict with empathy and respect helps build stronger families, workplaces, and neighborhoods. Our mediation training exceeds California’s Dispute Resolution Programs Act (DRPA) standards, preparing graduates to serve ethically and effectively.

👏 Please join us in celebrating our newest class of mediators and wishing them success as they help create more peaceful resolutions across Orange County!

Interested in becoming a mediator or learning more about our volunteer opportunities? Stay tuned for information about our next DRS Mediation Training.

📞 What Happens When You Call a R**e Crisis Hotline?

If you’ve ever wondered what actually happens when you call a r**e crisis hotline, you’re not alone.

Many survivors of sexual assault hesitate to reach out because they don’t know what to expect. At Waymakers, our trained advocates are here to provide compassionate, trauma-informed support—never pressure.

When you call our 24/7 Sexual Assault Crisis Hotline, you can expect someone who will:

👂 Listen without judgment
💙 Believe and validate your experience
📝 Explain your rights and options
🤝 Help you make informed decisions at your own pace
🌱 Connect you with advocacy, resources, and ongoing support

Calling a r**e crisis hotline isn’t about being told what to do. It’s about giving survivors the information, support, and control they deserve.

Whether the assault happened today, last month, or years ago, it’s never too late to reach out.

📞 Waymakers Sexual Assault Victim Services (SAVS)
24/7 Confidential Crisis Hotline
714-957-2737 | 949-831-9110

You are not alone. There is hope. There is help. 💙

**ecrisiscenter

🛋️ Can you help us give our youth a comfortable place to land?

For the past 10 years, the Waymakers Tustin Youth Shelter has been a safe haven for young people facing crisis. Since opening our doors, 925 youth have found safety, support, and hope within these walls.

Our couches have been there through it all—late-night conversations, counseling sessions, movie nights, homework, laughter, tears, and countless moments of healing. They have been loved by hundreds of young people.

Now, they’ve reached the end of their journey.

We’re looking for a generous furniture partner or donor to help us replace our worn leather furniture with new or gently used leather sofas that can stand up to the daily needs of a youth shelter while remaining easy to sanitize and maintain.

Our wish list:
🛋️ 2 three-cushion leather sofas + 2 two-cushion leather loveseats
OR
🛋️ 2 three-cushion leather sofas + 1 two-cushion loveseat + 1 leather chair

If you own a furniture store, work in the furniture industry, or know someone who does, we’d love an introduction. A donation like this would make an immediate difference for the nearly 100 youth who will call our shelter home this year.

Every young person deserves a safe, comfortable place to sit, breathe, and begin healing.

Please share this post or send us a message if you can help. Together, we can make sure the next generation of youth feels just as welcomed as the 925 who came before them. 💙

Every family has a story. 💙

Sometimes that story includes challenges, conflict, or moments that feel impossible to overcome. But with the right support, those moments don’t have to define the future.

At Waymakers, our Counseling Families programs helps parents, caregivers, and youth build stronger relationships through counseling, parenting education, and practical tools that foster healthy communication, resilience, and healing.

Jessica discovered confidence she never knew she had and went on to graduate high school and attend college. Joshua transformed his family’s journey by first investing in his own growth and today, he’s inspiring other parents by sharing his story.

These are more than success stories. They are reminders that healing is possible, change starts with hope, and stronger families create stronger communities.

👉 Swipe through to meet Jessica and Joshua and see the impact compassionate support can have.

If you believe every family deserves the opportunity to heal and thrive, help us continue this life-changing work by sharing this post, following Waymakers, or making a gift through the link in our bio.

Together, we are building stronger families and brighter futures.