Betty's Liberty Story | Liberty Closet

A made for TV movie changed my life. In 2005, I was up late one evening and channel surfed to a TV movie called Human Trafficking. The two part series starred Mira Sorvino as a police officer after asex trafficking ring in America. This film based on true stories broke my heart. I sobbed myself to sleep that night. Woke up the next day and started to research the problem. After that I just couldn’t carry on life the way I did before. They say once you know you can never un-know.

For me it meant reassessing my career, a year later I gave my notice at my management job in Broadcasting and joined the headquarters of the Salvation Army in B.C. In preparation for the Olympics in Vancouver 2010 our team anticipated a demand for sex trafficking as other host cities experienced and we strategized to educate the public and facilitate relief programs for victims. Our media campaign ‘The Truth Isn’t Sexy’ on billboards and bus shelters in Vancouver raised the awareness of human trafficking from an overseas problem to a domestic epidemic. During that time our annual luncheon fundraiser raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Deborah’s Gate; a restorative safe home for survivors of trafficking which opened in 2009.

Today the Salvation Army is on the front end of support and relief work for survivors of trafficking across Canada. The important work of The Salvation Army and our committee contributed to greater awareness and stiffer laws against trafficking in Canada. 

Following my work with The Salvation, I decided to follow my passion for fashion. Yet I still wanted to help survivors of human trafficking. In 2011, I created Betty Be Good. I wanted to start a business with a vision to bring liberty to victims and be part of the solution to this heinous act. The vision was to be a catalyst for change both at home and oversees. At home with awareness of the issue, support of local agencies and in-kind gifts to support recovery. Oversees, I dream of creating job opportunities for at-risk women by building sustainable career options in the fashion sector. One day the vision of Betty Be Good is to produce ethically made fashion in high-risk countries such as Cambodia, Thailand and India. In the PNW, I dream of a distribution center for the online business that would employ women with the opportunity to be present for important moments in the lives of their families while still excelling in a career they are passionate about. Through a Betty signature brand I plan to expand with a passion for helping women look and feel their best... finding true liberty in style.

Today, we operate two boutique locations in the Birch Bay and Lynden, Washington communities. We give 2% of daily sales to a fund called Betty’s Liberty Closet. This fund clothes survivors of human trafficking in recovery at Deborah’s Gate in Vancouver and Engedi Refuge in the PNW. To read more about Betty's Liberty Closet scroll down.

In June of 2016, Betty Be Good presented a limited release film called SOLD to an audience in Bellingham, WA followed by a Q&A with local agencies and charities about the issue. In 2017 our boutiques engaged in the Fashion Hope clothing drive where our shoppers donated gently used clothing for survivors in Seattle and the PNW. Recently, Betty Be Good has organized and presented an annual fashion show fundraiser called Liberty In Style to benefit Engedi Refuge. Together with our generous community we have raised $18,875 to support the restorative care of survivors rebuilding their lives at Engedi Refuge. 

During Christmas 2019, our shoppers generously supported a Warm Up campaign for survivors of trafficking. With their generous support we raised nearly $500 to purchase pajamas, undergarments and socks for survivors and also donated dozens of knitted beanies for Christmas.

We are overwhelmed by the loving support from our generous community!

~ by Suzanne Smith, Owner of Betty Be Good

Our Charitable Partners 

There are more than 27 million slaves of labour trafficking and sex trafficking

The Salvation Army & Engedi Refuge are actively reaching out to these victims with help to escape slavery and rebuild their lives.

Deborah's Gate is a unique safe house and residential program for surviviors of human trafficking. This unique facility that supports international and domestic women who have been trafficked into situations of sexual and labour exploitation and who are in need of protective and restorative housing and healing. 

Engedi Refuge provides a restorative program for women who have survived sexual exploitation and trafficking. Engedi Refuge is one of the America's leading residential care facilities located in the Pacific North West.  Their passion to see women restored is evident in all that they put their hands to.

  We donate 2% of sales to a fund called Betty's Liberty Closet

A New Wardrobe, A Fresh Start

Women who have escaped slavery leave everything behind to find new hope at Deborah's Gate & Engedi Refuge. We know that starting over can be difficult. That's why we created Betty's Liberty Closet. Betty donates 2% of sales to a fund which gives new clothing not damaged or unsold inventory from her collection each season to give women at-risk a chance to shop online to build a new wardrobe.  With your help, we can supply women with clothing, accessories and resources to establish a new identity and restore their hope for the future.   

To learn more about human trafficking and to read survivor's stories of recovery through The Salvation Army visit: https://www.deborahsgate.ca.