Who We Are
Your Team
Jeff Anderson - President
Jeff was born and raised in the Midwest of the US. He began volunteering for anti-trafficking organizations in 2012 in the Chicagoland area. His heart for safe-houses grew during his time with Refuge for Women Chicago, raising awareness with Closing the Gap, and church involvement with Making Waves. Jeff has a love for people, languages, clever humor, ideas and learning. He has a TESOL degree from Moody Bible Institute and a Masters in Social Work from Loyola University Chicago. He is excited to partner with A Cup for a Cause to see hope and freedom come to survivors of human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
Rosie Delgado - Secretary
Rosie's educational background is in Psychology. She currently works as a Case Manager for a local social services organization and is a house-mom for a Transitional Housing Program. She has worked with anti-trafficking organizations like New Name Ministries as a Spanish speaking awareness volunteer, and poured into survivors' lives. Currently, Rosie is working on a double Masters in Business Administration and Organizational Behavior from Benedictine University. Rosie is passionate about this cause because she believes we all deserve to know we are loved and seen.
Jaimi Kitchen - Treasurer
Jaimi graduated from Rockford College with a BS in Psychology and a Minor in Human Development. Upon graduation, Jaimi gained employment at a rehabilitation program for youths in the juvenile justice system. She then spent the next 5 years in case management working with homeless adults and those seeking to gain their GED. Jaimi is currently employed with IL DCFS working in abuse/neglect investigations. Around 2012, she felt God call her to ministry working with women who have been sexually exploited. Since then, she has connected with many individuals (including Jeff) to raise awareness, coordinate prayer groups, work directly with survivors, and enhance ministries.
Justin Ciurdar - Board Member
Justin has been working to support survivors of trafficking since 2015 through various awareness and fundraising efforts. Since then he has helped to mobilize churches to action and partnered with local NGO's to support outreach ministries to women in the adult entertainment industry. In 2017 he ventured to Europe to connect with organizations he and his team had supported. Apart from his anti-trafficking efforts, Justin also serves on the board of Grain for Pain. Justin comes from a family of musicians, is an engineer, and seems to find a way to make people around him laugh wherever he goes.
Our Story
I remember the first time I really felt powerless in trying to help survivors of trafficking and sexual exploitation. I was in North Carolina visiting my brother after having spent 7 weeks in Europe. That afternoon I was in a funk, but not because of the pervasive reality of sexual exploitation I saw from the women on the street, or the brothels, or the sex shops (although all of that did break my heart). I was sad because I had seen the tragedy, I knew there was a solution, but I didn't know how to make it happen.
A few years earlier I had joined together with several friends and started a safe house in the Midwest of the United States. It took work, determination, and a lot of money from a lot of generous people. The reality is, safe houses are not cheap. Neither are small businesses. And those were the two frustratingly lacking elements that the 15+ organizations I spoke with in Europe kept mentioning. When a girl is ready to break free from her captivity, where do we keep her? And eventually, who will hire her?
So as I sat there in a coffee shop I thought to myself, 'How could we possibly raise money to accommodate such a great need, after having gone to such great lengths for just one house?' After all, I had the heart to help, but my checking account was looking as sad as I was feeling. And that's when it hit me...
Despite not having much money to my name, I did have enough to be sitting in that coffee shop having purchased a cup of Joe with no concern of it breaking the bank. What if enough of us, the rich and...well...the people like me, were willing to give up a cup of coffee each month and donate that much to a worthwhile cause? And so the dream for A Cup for a Cause was born!
I invite you to consider joining us and invest just $5 a month (or more if you so choose) in order to provide safe housing, emotional healing and growth, and the chance to work a decent job for individuals that truly deserve it, but without our help may never have the chance. Thanks!
- Jeff
Founder/Director