We visit and are welcomed at all strip Along with a group of friends on Hallowclubs in San Francisco, meet with dozeen night 2008, solaceSF was born. ens of escorts, film actors and others armed with old school orange plastic within the sex worker community and pumpkins filled with candy necklaces, offer them what I still recall wanting not ring pops, lip gloss and assorted so long ago. We are fortunate to have a 'treats', we visited every strip club in team of volunteers who partner with us town that would let us in...And every to offer our ladies and gents medical one we visited, welcomed us - even if care and resources, educational serthey were surprised or confused. We vices, emergency aid, counseling, tranbegan to visit them once a month, sitional services and more bringing in multiple locations them assortwhile still based in San ed gifts for I’m a former pastor's wife, Francisco. the ladies a former sex worker and a very and gents in the club and present recipient I’m a former pastor's built relationwife, a former sex workof a second chance. ships with er and a very present rethose who cipient of a second we met in chance. Our name, solace, means, "to the clubs. Our consistent visits led to comfort". We know who our Comforter trust and later, coffee and lunch meet is and I know that I’ve been entrusted ups and real friendships. Each of our lawith an opportunity to share my past dies and gents are people, not projects. and present life as it continues to unfold. In October of 2010, we launched solaceSF as a The person who led me to the not-for-profit, 501(c)3 Lord showed me who Jesus is that offers compassionlong before they ever told me ate care to the men and who He was; I experienced women working within Grace long before I ever knew the adult entertainment what it was. We exist to enindustry as well as surcourage, empower and envivors of human traflighten those we serve. I can't ficking. imagine ever doing anything else.
Laura Lasky is a wife, cupcake enthusiast, speaker and executive director of solaceSF [solaceSF.org]. Married to her best friend in the city she loves, she is passionate about grace, coffee and those that others may overlook. You can find her at her favorite coffee house in downtown San Francisco or at @solaceSF on twitter and http://facebook.com/solaceSF 15
Praise and Coffee | Winter 2012