Alterre was built on the strength of women. Generations of resilient, creative, and determined women inspired us, and our founders built this brand on those same values of empowerment and possibility. That commitment is the reason Alterre donates 5% of all profits to Restore NYC, an organization whose work embodies dignity, healing, and freedom for survivors of trafficking.
As we approach Giving Tuesday, a time when brands reflect on how they give back, we wanted to take a moment to share why Restore NYC has always been, and will continue to be, the recipient of our support.
Who Restore NYC Serves
Founded in 2009, Restore NYC provides long-term rehabilitation and support for foreign-national survivors of sex trafficking in New York City, one of the world’s largest trafficking hubs. Their mission is both powerful and practical: to make real freedom possible by helping survivors secure safety, stability, and economic independence.
Restore NYC’s approach is deeply survivor-centered. Every program is shaped by the voices, needs, and lived experiences of the women they walk alongside. Their services are trauma-informed, culturally respectful, and developed in collaboration with survivor advisory groups who guide and ground the work. Recent reports have shown that of the over 2,800 survivors and people at risk served through their programming across 116 nationalities, 81% are immigrants and 84% are women.
How Restore NYC Creates Pathways to Freedom
Restore NYC focuses on three core areas, each one addressing a critical piece of the healing journey:
Counseling & Case Management:
Compassionate, trauma-informed support that includes counseling, resource coordination, and connections to mental health, medical, or legal services.
Housing Support:
Safe housing is often the first and most urgent step. Restore offers emergency shelter, transitional housing, and guidance in securing long-term stable homes or rental assistance.
Economic Empowerment:
Through job-readiness training, career placement, entrepreneurship coaching, and advancement support, survivors gain the tools to build secure and meaningful futures.
Some members of our Alterre team have even had the honor of serving as peer-to-peer mentors through Restore’s Entrepreneurship Program, an experience that has deeply influenced and inspired us.
Image: Kostanza, a survivor supported by Restore's services. Find her story HERE.
Impact You Can See
Restore NYC’s work is grounded in transparency, data, and measurable change. Through their innovative Freedom Index, they track holistic recovery across indicators such as housing stability, job security, wages, mental well-being, and a sense of safety.
Their outcomes speak for themselves:
- 2,800+ survivors and people at risk supported since founding, representing 116 nationalities.
- 100% of survivors in core services are free from trafficking within 12 months of intake.
- 91% of survivors secure safe housing within their first year in the programs
- Survivors experience significant increases in income by their first job placement
- In 2024, Restore NYC received the Presidential Award for Extraordinary Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons, one of the highest national honors recognizing leadership in this field.
These numbers tell a story of hope, resilience, and real change.
Continuing the Work Together
In 2020, we had the privilege of interviewing Lenore Schaffer, Restore NYC’s Senior Manager of Economic Empowerment, who offered an inside look at the organization’s transformative programs. We left that conversation more certain than ever of the importance of this partnership.
And remember: 5% of every Alterre purchase supports Restore NYC and helps provide survivors with the resources, safety, and opportunities they deserve.
Thank you for being part of this mission with us.
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