Breaking Free

What Breaking Free does

Breaking Free is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1996 and headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota, that serves survivors of sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation in the greater Twin Cities metropolitan area. Its core program portfolio consists of four integrated services: Street Outreach (mobile teams identifying victims in the hardest-hit areas), Long-Term Housing (safe, stable accommodation for survivors including children), Advocacy Services (trauma-informed support navigating complex systems), and Training (education for frontline responders and the public on identifying trafficking signs). In 2024 the organization reported supporting 54 survivors, including 39 children, in long-term housing and providing direct advocacy services to 267 survivors.

Breaking Free has no proprietary technology product. Its underlying 'platform' is operational and relational: a coordinated network of municipal, law enforcement, and nonprofit-organization partnerships — including the Saint Paul Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Ramsey County, MNCASA, VFMN, WFM, and MAC — that enable case identification, referral, and survivor care. The organization invests in awareness campaigns such as #NotForSale, an Action Toolkit, and public-facing content (myths vs. reality, statistics), as well as community events such as the Drive for Change Golf Tournament and speaking engagements at the Minnesota State Capitol.

The revenue model is that of a regional nonprofit, with three primary streams: individual donations (processed via Stripe), corporate and foundation grants and donations (e.g., a $10,000 gift from Little Six Casino in 2025), and government partnership funding from entities such as Ramsey County. All direct services are provided free of charge to survivors; pricing is not applicable. The go-to-market motion is community-led (street outreach, law enforcement collaboration) supplemented by event-driven fundraising. Headcount is reported at 11–50 employees, and the organization is led by CEO Dr. Lori Quist, with Housing Operations Manager Zach Wolff and Regional Advocacy Manager Ingrid DeChambeau.

Name

Breaking Free

Legal name

Breaking Free

Website

https://breakingfree.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Breaking Free is a Saint Paul, Minnesota-based nonprofit founded in 1996 that provides street outreach, long-term housing, advocacy, and training to survivors of sex trafficking in the Twin Cities, serving 267 survivors via advocacy and 54 via housing in 2024.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Anti-Trafficking Social Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Community Housing Services (62422), Child and Youth Services (624110), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAEAB

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

SECONDARYBPAGADAM

Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAGADAO

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYEDAJAEAJ

Wraparound Student Support & Case Management Services (At-Risk K–12)

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/Alternative & At-Risk K–12 Education (Continuation, Recovery, Juvenile)

Keywords

• Anti-trafficking services
• Survivor housing support
• Trauma-informed advocacy
• Human trafficking prevention
• Community outreach programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Direct donations from individuals via online donation platform (Stripe). The organization actively campaigns for donations through social media and website.
2. Corporate/Foundation Grants and Donations: Grants and major donations from corporations (e.g., $10,000 from Little Six Casino) and potentially foundations supporting anti-trafficking work.
3. Government Partnerships: Partnerships with Ramsey County and other government entities for funding and operational support.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Breaking Free is a survivor-centered nonprofit organization that delivers an integrated continuum of services for survivors of sex trafficking in the Twin Cities. Its offerings combine street outreach to identify victims, long-term safe housing, trauma-informed advocacy and system navigation, public and frontline-responder training, and prevention campaigns such as #NotForSale. All services are provided at no cost to survivors.

Product overview

Breaking Free is a survivor-centered nonprofit organization offering a holistic approach to supporting sex trafficking survivors. The organization provides integrated services including Street Outreach, Long-Term Housing, Advocacy Services, and Training programs. These core programs work together to identify victims, provide trauma-informed care, facilitate healing, and prevent exploitation through education and advocacy campaigns like #NotForSale.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Street Outreach Mobile outreach teams working in the hardest-hit areas of the Twin Cities to identify potential sex trafficking victims, connect them with Breaking Free's programs, and safely transition them into long-term housing.
• Long-Term Housing Safe, stable housing program for survivors of sex trafficking, including families with children; supported 54 survivors (39 of them children) in 2024 as a critical first step toward stability and healing.
• Advocacy Services Trauma-informed advocacy services that help survivors of sex trafficking navigate complex systems and access critical needs; provided direct support to 267 survivors in 2024.
• Training Education and prevention training for frontline responders and the public to identify sex trafficking signs and take action.
• Survivor Care Comprehensive support services meeting survivors where they are in their healing journey, providing access to safe housing, advocacy, and trauma-informed services.
• #NotForSale Campaign Awareness and advocacy campaign advocating for increased public awareness about sex trafficking, survivor-centered laws, stronger penalties for traffickers, and cultural shifts to reduce demand.
• Action Toolkit Resources for stakeholders and community members to take action against sex trafficking and exploitation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 54 survivors (39 children) supported in 2024 long-term housing program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor, secondary and core.

• Witness Arts / TomminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Artist and storyteller whose anti-trafficking artwork, created in collaboration with Breaking Free survivors, is featured at MSP Airport Concourse C from June through November.
• University of St. Thomas - The Justice ProjectsecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 March 2025Partnership with Professor Hodge's Criminology Capstone class where students worked on real-world projects related to anti-trafficking work, providing insight and support throughout the semester.
• Ramsey CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for funding and operational support in serving survivors in Ramsey County. Organization partners with county services to provide coordinated care for trafficking survivors.
• MNCASAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault - collaborative partnership for advocacy and awareness initiatives.
• Saint Paul Police DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with law enforcement to improve how trafficking cases are handled, with a focus on seeing survivors as needing support rather than punishment.
• VFMNsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Violence Free Minnesota for collaborative advocacy work.
• WFMsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Women Free Minnesota for awareness and prevention efforts.
• MAC (Minnesota Alliance on Crime)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with statewide alliance focused on crime prevention and victim services.
• BCA (Bureau of Criminal Apprehension)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with state BCA for coordinated response to trafficking cases.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Polaris Project: National anti-trafficking nonprofit operating the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline and systemic data analysis. Directly comparable as a survivor-services and anti-trafficking organization, though operating at significantly larger national scale than Breaking Free's regional Twin Cities focus.
• Shared Hope International:

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BreakingFreeStp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/71485890
• Instagraminstagram.com/breakingfreemn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Breaking Free