JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Rethreaded, an organization helping to break the cycle of the sex trade, is celebrating its fourth anniversary. It was one of the winners at the city's first One Spark festival.
Rethreaded organizers are celebrating the success of the business that has helped change the lives of many women. From handmade scarfs and bracelets, Rethreaded has beautiful items to offer for any age woman. And if you're a college football fan, you're likely to support the new line that the organization is launching this weekend!
"We've made our signature product our scarves and necklaces and bracelets all and team colors. We just launched our campus rep program this fall," said Kristin Keen, the founder and owner of Rethreaded. "We're going to be at UNF, UF, UCF and FSU; all with college students selling our product all over their campus."
Rethreaded is hoping that's why the community will like its newest line. This accomplishment is one of many the small, local organization has made; one that's helped break the cycle of the sex trade, and given many women a chance to "rethread" a new story.
"Over the past four years we've been able to get 10,000 hours of work and help over 18 women," Keen. "Most of our employees say that their favorite thing about Rethreaded is that no one judges them about their past. What I believe in life is you just have to be given a chance and our women take the chance and they do amazing things. They have so many skills."
Keen says being a winner at One Spark 2013 was a game changer. But community support is really what's helped them continue to succeed. She says the people of Jacksonville are helping to give many women a new chance at life.
"We developed a new career track within Rethreaded, so there's five different career paths a woman can choose; so sales production inventory marketing and accounting. So they can choose where they want to go, they can learn job skills and our hope is that they stay with us as long as they need to and then they can go off and change the world and start a brand new life." Keen said.
So to celebrate 4 years of success, to launch the new line and to thank the community, Rethreaded is holding their 4th birthday celebration Saturday, August 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at their warehouse on Barnett Street in Mid-Westside Jacksonville. There will be food, local beer and live music, a guest speaker, sales and fun for the whole family.
Information to know about Rethreaded's 4th birthday:
When: Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Rethreaded, 820 Barnett Street
Offering: free boxed lunches, live, music, kids' activities, sales on products
Other info: Bold City Brewery will be there, Mayor Lenny Curry's wife, Molly, will attend at noon, when there will be a big reveal of Rethreaded's birthday present.