Hello friends and supporters, We pray this newsletter finds you healthy, cool, and in good spirits. We have not let the summer heat hold us back here at Armor Up. We have had a very action and fun-filled May. Thank you, Father, that we get to spend time outdoors admiring your beautiful creation. We have many new things to come with Armor Up and many blessings to share.
Isaiah 55:12 “May you go out in joy and be led forth in peace. May the mountains and hills burst into song before you and all the trees of the land clap their hands.”
We are really working towards forming new partnerships so we can continue to grow our recovery community and continue to be a voice advocating for those suffering from addictions, human trafficking, and so much more. Please consider becoming a monthly partner and sowing into each woman that comes through ARMOR UP and our mission to open Redemption House for 9 more women in need. If everybody even did $20 a month, do you know how far that would go to help, and you could be a part of all that God is doing here at ARMOR UP and the lives of these women and their families.
Backpack’s In The Streets Outreach
Our Backpacks in the Streets outreach on Sunday, May 24th was more than we could have hoped for. It was a powerful, Spirit-filled day as we walked through the Lake Eola area in downtown Orlando, sharing backpacks, prayer, encouragement, and the love of Christ with those experiencing homelessness and despair. A special thank you to the women of Freedom House and Victory House and our graduates. It was such a blessing to watch each of you step out in faith, share the Gospel, pray with strangers, offer hugs, listen to stories, and remind people that they are seen, heard, valued, and deeply loved by God. Watching your compassion in action was truly beautiful. Throughout the day, we stopped to talk, pray, and connect with every person God placed in our path.
Our prayer was that each individual would leave knowing they had not been forgotten and that they are loved by their Heavenly Father. Every year, I am reminded that while we go out to serve others, we often receive so much more in return. There is something incredibly humbling about witnessing God’s love at work through the hands and hearts of His people. I don’t know why I’m not out there in those streets, and why they are, I promise you these are all not lowlifes who deserve this. So many just had a really hard life or are mentally challenged or have been abused or just lost their job and can’t find another one, Va vets who fought for our freedom in America, people who are down on their luck, their wife or husband died, and many more misfortunes. We cannot judge these individuals, by the grace of God it’s not us. Tragedy struck one way or another in most cases. We are all just one lost paycheck, job loss or poor choice away from what could be homelessness. Let’s all try to be part of the solution. May we continue to be the hands and feet of Christ, sharing His love, not just with words but by our actions, where He leads us.
Thank you to everyone who helped make this homeless outreach possible, and thank You, Jesus, for the privilege of serving and loving Your broken and hurting people. Thank you to Leigh Ann at Sysco , Michael J. Radka at Mercy Road Initiatives at Northland, St. Luke’s UMC in Orlando Women in Faith, Barbara King, Michael Dunn and family, for our friends from CBS Bible Study Group and everyone else who sowed into this homeless outreach. To everyone who donated, packed backpacks, prayed, and served alongside us, your generosity allowed us to go out with backpacks overflowing with essentials and to spread encouragement, faith, hope, and love. We are so grateful to everyone who helped make this outreach possible. Love you all and God bless you.
Packing the Backpacks Day
The day before our outreach, we gathered together with the women in our homes and several of our incredible volunteers for a special time of preparation and service. On Saturday, we packed 100 backpacks with love and intention, filling each one with essential items for our neighbors experiencing homelessness in Downtown Orlando.
From toiletries and hygiene products to snacks, food, socks, and other necessities, every item placed in those backpacks was a reminder that someone cares. There was laughter, conversation, teamwork, and grateful hearts as everyone worked side by side with a shared purpose: to be the hands and feet of Jesus and bring hope, dignity, and compassion to those who are hurting.
We know that while a backpack cannot solve every challenge someone is facing, it can remind them that they are seen, valued, and not forgotten. Thank you to every woman and volunteer who gave their time, energy, and love to make this outreach possible.
Thank You Sysco
Thank you so much to Leigh-Ann and everyone at Sysco foods for all you do and all you did for our Backpacks In The Streets Outreach, we love you so much and your hearts for the hurting and broken. You mean a lot to all of us at Armor Up. You definitely were with us in those streets and are a part of all that God’s doing. We love you guys, thank you and God bless you.
Nami Walk
We were very blessed to attend the NamiWalk alongside so many incredible organizations, advocates, and community members who are passionate about mental health awareness.
We got to connect with lots of our friends and community partners and make new friends. We are so grateful for the connections we made and the inspiring people we met along the way. A special shoutout to my dear friend and partner Justin Bradley I love all that you do and are involved in, thank you.
German Meat Bingo at Hollerbach’s
German Meat Bingo Night at Hollerbach’s… What a Night to Remember! Every Tuesday evening Hollerbach’s German Restaurant hosts their German Meat Bingo Night, where a local nonprofit gets to be the beneficiary of the evening. This past week, that nonprofit was us!! We are so grateful for this event!
The room was full of laughter, good food, great people, and SO much love for this ministry. Watching our community show up the way you all did means so much. A huge, heartfelt thank you to Hollerbach’s German Restaurant for opening your doors to us, for creating such a fun and welcoming atmosphere, and for making events like this possible for nonprofits in our community. What a gift you are to Sanford and beyond!
A very special thank you to Teri Siciliano at Ritz Theater Sanford for crafting two absolutely beautiful raffle baskets, we are so grateful for you! To all our friends who came out, THANK YOU. This ministry runs on the love and generosity of people like you, and nights like this remind us that God is always making a way. He is so faithful.
This is just the beginning… we have two more Hollerbach’s Bingo Nights planned for later this year on August 18th and November 17th. We hope to see you there!
Speaking at Call To Action Team Against Human Trafficking
Angella had the honor of being the guest speaker at a meeting hosted by Call To Action Team Against Human Trafficking: a dedicated group of women right here in our community working to fight the very real and very present issue of human trafficking in Central Florida and beyond. They do this by procuring donations and support for different non-profits who are aligned and engaged with human trafficking.
Angella spoke for 30 powerful minutes about what Armor Up does and the deeply important connection between addiction and human trafficking, two issues that are far more intertwined than many realize. Studies show that over 84% of trafficking survivors used substances during their exploitation. The conversation that followed was rich, meaningful, and so necessary. The addiction is so rarely addressed when they receive help for human trafficking. We have had many survivors that started out as addicts and then got trafficked or got trafficked and were fed drugs and alcohol and became addicted. ARMOR UP treats and helps them get all the healing they need as a survivor and the addiction.
We are so grateful to have been invited, and a very special thank you to Racine, who leads Call To Action and to Tamara Baker for connecting ARMOR UP and Call To Action. Also thank you to Robin Roskowski for all of your help and insight. Meetings and organizations like this are where real community change begins.
If you’d like to support the women in our homes, shop our Amazon Wishlist, every item goes directly to the ladies in Freedom House and Victory House. Link below!
Comedy Night at Rebos AA Club in Casselberry
Had a blast at Rebos (AA Club) in Casselberry Saturday night. Took a bunch of the girls and laughed so hard watching comedian Leon Lily. Good, clean fun! The house was packed. He even puts his comedy to great music, hysterical. Got to even sing some karaoke before he started. Now that was pretty funny also. So much fun, just cutting loose with my girls! Thank you so much Rebos for hosting such a fun night. We all woke up the next day and remembered it all and felt great. God is good!
Donna’s Testimony
Congratulations on your recovery journey, you did an awesome testimony, Donna!
We are SO proud of you for standing up and sharing your story with such courage and vulnerability. Hearing how far God has brought you: through the darkest valleys, the close calls, and the moments when hope seemed impossible: was a reminder to all of us of just how powerful redemption truly is.
Your willingness to be open about your battle with drug and alcohol addiction, and the miracle of where you stand today, is going to plant seeds of hope in hearts that desperately need to hear it. You are living proof that transformation is real. 
This is exactly why we do what we do at Armor Up, because every woman has a story worth redeeming and a purpose worth fighting for. Donna, your mess has become your message, and we could not be more grateful to call you part of this family.
Keep shining, keep sharing, and never stop telling the world what God did for you. We are overcomers by the word of our testimony. Can’t wait to see all that God has for you. God doesn’t waste a hurt or tragedy, He uses it all for His glory. You are one tough chick, all the times you overdosed and coded and all of the tragic health issues you have overcome, your life is truly a miracle. I’m so grateful to get to be on this recovery Jesus journey with you. The best is yet to come!
Get Involved
Please continue to lift Redemption House in prayer. We know it is God’s will so we do not have to keep turning women in need of recovery away; we are trusting His timing and provision. As always, we rely on your support to make these things happen. If you have it in your heart to give, please visit our Get Involved page to see ways that you can help support our mission, either financially directly on our website, through PayPal and Venmo(@armoruprecoveryhomes), or through volunteering.
Thank you again for all you do for ARMOR UP and our girls! We could not do it without you! We appreciate all your love, support and prayers!
GOD BLESS YOU ALL!
May the LORD bless you and keep you and make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you!
May he turn his face towards you and give you his peace!
SOCIAL MEDIA
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