The Polaris Resilience Fund offers direct cash assistance to survivors of human trafficking across the U.S. to fill the gaps between traditional resources. In doing so, The Resilience Fund gives survivors back exactly what their traffickers stole from them – control over their own lives. The Mid-Program Evaluation examines the progress of its inaugural cohort, composed of 24 adult survivors of human trafficking across the U.S., after nine months of unrestricted direct cash disbursements. The program’s design centers on providing up to $500 per month to recipients for up to 18 months, empowering survivors to address key barriers to economic stability, such as housing insecurity, debt, and access to mental and behavioral health services. This report offers a longitudinal analysis of the impacts of these disbursements on participants to date, focusing on financial autonomy, trust, and systems barriers.
