By Olivia DeWan, contributor
New Creation, a woman-owned, faith-based nonprofit in Harrisonburg, is expanding its mission to support human trafficking survivors by adding a coffee shop to its boutique, with construction set to begin in the coming weeks.
Founded by Steve Andrew and Sabrina Dorman-Andrew, the couple was inspired by The Zion Project, a ministry in Uganda that worked with women coming out of trafficking. The couple felt called to help, saying their two young daughters were a major source of motivation.
“At the beginning it was Steve and Sabrina buying paper bead jewelry and selling it out of their dining room to friends and family,” Shannon Blosser, the assistant to the executive director at New Creation, said. “They wanted to give more and started creating items and refinishing furniture to sell alongside the paper beads. Sabrina had her eye on a building that was not for sale but was boarded up.”
In 2014, the organization purchased the former pornography shop on the south end of Harrisonburg, which has since undergone major renovation, and now houses the retail Shop.
“In 2020 New Creation began branching out into wholesale featuring products designed by Sabrina and handmade by women in Moldova who have been rescued from trafficking,” Blosser said.
New Creation’s mission centers around counteracting human trafficking by empowering survivors through “dignified employment opportunities” and providing prevention education to vulnerable communities.
By partnering with over 200 artisan groups around the globe, New Creation offers survivor-made goods in its boutique, ensuring that 100% of profits support its mission to combat human trafficking. According to the website, they “do all in Jesus’ name.”
“We believe that in order to really create a difference in the issue of human trafficking, we need to start with preventative conversations with youth on the indicators of exploitation and the resources available to them,” Blosser said. “Since 2013, New Creation VA has brought The Prevention Project™, a curriculum created specifically for youth, to more than 15,000 students. Our goal is to bring this life-changing curriculum to all middle and high school youth in our communities.”
However, New Creation now plans to establish a coffee shop called Our Front Porch, which is centered around providing work opportunities for women coming out of human trafficking.
“The coffee shop has been something Sabrina has wanted to do from the very beginning, we just didn’t have the space in the current shop,” Blosser said. “A statistic that we have heard is that 80% of those rescued from trafficking will be trafficked again if they do not have dignified work. Job creation has always been a part of our mission. We’ve done that for years through partnering with other organizations and selling the products they create, but with the opening of the coffee shop, we will be able to create jobs for local women coming out of difficult situations.”
Our Front Porch will be a self-sustaining program and create a transferable skill set for the women that work there.
“There’s something special about a front porch. It’s where neighbors stop to chat, where stories are shared over a cup of coffee, and where life slows down just enough to feel at home,” Blosser said. “Just like a front porch is an extension of a home, Our Front Porch café is an extension of our mission: to provide a place where women can find hope, healing and opportunity.”
While they are still working on a menu, Our Front Porch will support local farmers and bring in fresh ingredients.
“We hope Our Front Porch will be more than just a coffee shop,” Blosser said. “It will be a gathering place that brings people together and strengthens our mission. Every cup of coffee supports survivors, creates jobs, and helps New Creation grow. For Harrisonburg, we want it to be a cozy, welcoming space where community and impact go hand in hand.”
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