(pronounced "eh-MAY-uhs")
EMMAUS is a Christian non-profit working to prevent exploitation and empower male survivors of the sex trade to rebuild their lives. The love of Jesus inspires us - we seek to affirm worth, reject stigma, and offer the hope of the Gospel to male survivors.
vision ///
to see the end of human trafficking and sexual exploitation for ALL mankind.
Mission ///
To support male survivors’ journey out of the sex trade into freedom and fullness of life, and to fight exploitation worldwide for all mankind.
Values ///
Treasure People – We believe people are of inherent and immeasurable worth, deserving to be seen, known, heard, and accepted. We respect and celebrate the dignity of everyone.
Empower Survivors – We believe restored people restore people. Rather than being rescuers, we equip and empower survivors in their journey to wholeness.
Build Community – We believe that collaboration between our clients, partners and supporters can accomplish much. We strive to create inclusive environments where people grow, are free from fear and are able to be their truest selves.
Listen & Learn – We seek out diverse perspectives, refining our approach by listening to others with lived experience. We are forever learners: hearing, thinking, and responding intentionally.
Be Transparent – We keep our word to those we serve, our supporters and partner organizations. We seek to be truthful, authentic, and dependable in all that we do.
Do not Give Up – We remove obstacles, find new paths, and innovate to reach our clients and to protect the vulnerable. We are hopeful, patient, and persistent seeking God’s grace to endure.
Statement of Faith ///
EMMAUS is a Christian non-profit whose mission is to serve and empower ALL male-identifying victims and survivors regardless of their faith journey. Read our full statement of faith here.
Our Story
John Green traces the seed of what would become EMMAUS to a moment on a street corner in Chicago in 1985. While a freshman at Wheaton College, John was volunteering for a ministry that worked with women involved in street prostitution. To thank John for volunteering, the ministry’s director took him out for lunch. Giving him a tour of the neighborhood, she pointed out the streets and corners where women sold sex and drug dealers sold their wares.
Then she pointed to a cluster of men on a street corner and said the words that gave birth to EMMAUS:
“Those guys over there are being [trafficked and exploitated], too. But nobody works with them; nobody cares….”
She continued with the tour. Those words were a by-the-way detail to her, but they profoundly impacted John.
Nobody works with them. Nobody cares. It was a moment he would never forget.
John dropped out of college a year and a half later to work with runaway and homeless youth at Covenant House in New York City. Many of the girls and boys he worked with sold their bodies to survive. He remembered those words: Nobody works with them. Nobody cares.
John felt the Holy Spirit calling him to show the members of this marginalized community that they are loved—by God and by God’s people. He returned to Wheaton College to complete his degree and began envisioning how to provide care and support for the people no one else would help. John started doing street outreach in Chicago. Over time, he was joined by several other students and two professors. After a trying season of going to school full-time, working nights at a local hospital, and doing street outreach three nights a week, John went on a five-day silent retreat. At a Trappist monastery in New York, God spoke to John, saying that he should develop a ministry to men involved in trafficking, survival sex, and exploitation.
John felt the Holy Spirit Calling to him to show The members of this Marginalized community That they are loved.
They put their work under the guidance of the MidAmerica Leadership Foundation (now called Goodcity). EMMAUS was officially born in November of 1990 as an outreach and support network for men involved in Sex Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation in Chicago.
After a two-year incubation with MidAmerica, EMMAUS gained IRS 501(c)(3) status and officially became independent. During this period, EMMAUS had developed a board of directors, hired a full-time director, and developed an extensive volunteer outreach effort. In 2021, EMMAUS opened the doors of the Survivor Support Center in Chicago’s Fulton Market neighborhood.
Staff
JOEL MITCHELL
Executive Director
Rev. Joel Mitchell brings over 25 years of leadership experience in social services and city government. He is an ordained and licensed minister who is passionate about seeing lives changed and people finding the healing they deserve.
CARLA ALMEIDA, MA
Director of Programs
Carla Almeida is an experienced Psychologist with a demonstrated history of working in international affairs, human rights, and Humanitarian Assistance.
CLAIRE KNIOWSKI
Director of Development and Communication
Claire Kniowski came to EMMAUS with a background in marketing and development and a heart to serve and transform the brokenness within our communities.
MAXWELL SCHWARZ
Community Outreach and Engagement Advocate
Maxwell Schwarz earned his bachelor’s degree in English Literature from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in Social Work, Social Policy, and Administration from the University of Chicago.
SAMANTHA CHUKUNDAH
Client Case Manager
Samantha Chukundah studied Psychology at The Pennsylvania State University. Since she has spent 8 years working in the field of human services/social work before joining EMMAUS.
JASMINE BERRY
Client Case Manager
Jasmine Berry studied Business and Interpersonal Communications at The University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. She spent four years working in human services/social work, servicing a wide variety of populations before joining EMMAUS.
LIZBETH SOTO
Client Case Manager
Lizbeth Soto studied Social Work at Loyola University Chicago. Before joining EMMAUS, she spent four years working in human services/social work, servicing a wide variety of populations and communities.