THE
HOPE JOURNAL Stories of Your Support at Work
Winter 2026
Welcome to the inaugural issue of For All Seasons’ HOPE JOURNAL, a seasonal newsletter specifically for our donors, where you will learn more about the work of For All Seasons and the impact your support makes. Whether you are driven by the services we provide through the Rape Crisis Center, for military families, first responders, educators, and children, or by our work in suicide prevention, anti-human trafficking, and mental health care, we aim to provide you with in-depth information that shows “your dollars at work.”
BEHIND THE SCREENS: PROTECTING KIDS IN HIGH RISK SPACES
Snapshots from three For All Seasons’ client stories and how our agency is fighting to address these issues.
Grace always went to bed with her cellphone in hand,
Chris loved playing Roblox with his friends.
16-year-old Tonya began acting out of character.
even at the young age of 11. She had convinced her mom, Laura, that the alarm on her phone was the only way she wouldn’t be late for school. Laura never dreamt that agreeing to this seemingly minor request would result in her worst nightmare coming true. What Laura didn’t know was that Grace was being bullied at school and she was desperate to find someone who would listen. Grace found just what she was looking for — late at night in the privacy of her room — an AI chatbot. Grace confided in the chatbot that she couldn’t take the bullying anymore and wanted to kill herself. Ultimately, Grace’s new “friend” provided her with options. If only Laura had known that AI was so accessible to her daughter, able to create a “fake persona” in minutes.
Every night after his homework was done, he “met” his buddies online. Then, one day, he “met” a cool girl his age. They shared the same love of video games, anime, and music. Chris never had a girlfriend before. They texted every day, and eventually she started sending nude photos, convincing Chris to do the same. Not long after, Chris learned his friend wasn’t a girl at all. “She” was a strange man from another country. Soon, Chris was being blackmailed — “If you don’t send me $500 by tomorrow, every single friend and family member is going to receive these photos.”
Searching for answers, her father examined her cell phone, reviewed her Instagram and Snapchat accounts and checked her location history. What he uncovered was shocking. Tonya had been targeted online by someone she believed loved her. Over time, the attention and gifts led Tonya to share explicit videos over social media. The exploitation escalated into in-person meetings, and ultimately, to travel across state lines. Eventually Tonya was raped and her life was threatened. Together, Tonya and her father reached out for help.
Grace, Chris, and Tonya have different stories, but they exist in the same digital space. AI, social media, TikTok, YouTube, and general cell phone use can all lead to online and in-person sexual exploitation. Current research shows that one in five youth ages 13 to 20 has experienced online sextortion. For All Seasons is working to reduce the risks through education, awareness, and... Continued, pg 2