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Commission funds Selah Freedom'9s SOAP Project outreach; vice chair recuses
Summary
Hillsborough County approved up to $18,000 for Selah Freedom'9s SOAP Project hotel- and motel-based outreach after a presentation describing training, indicator cards, and past field interventions; Vice Chair Misty Groover-Skipper recused from the vote because she is employed by Selah Freedom.
The commission voted May 28 to approve funding, not to exceed $18,000, for Selah Freedom'9s SOAP Project, an outreach effort that trains hotel and motel staff, distributes materials with the National Human Trafficking Hotline number, and conducts field engagement to connect potential victims to services.
Misty Groover-Skipper, who explained she is employed by Selah Freedom, formally stated on the record that she would recuse from the vote to avoid a conflict of interest. "I will be recusing myself from voting on this topic as I am employed by Selah Freedom," she said.
Misty and other presenters described the SOAP Project'9s approach: targeted outreach to hotels and motels, training for front-desk and housekeeping staff in English and Spanish, indicator cards and posters, distribution of soap bearing the hotline number, and pop-up events that place volunteers at partner locations. Misty cited a field example from prior outreach in which a frightened woman approached staff and accepted resources leading to engagement with law enforcement and service providers.
The project proposal included a smaller set of June outreach dates and a larger coordinated August event to reach more than 100 hotels across the county, with Teresa Flores (the SOAP Project director, referenced in the presentation) leading volunteer training on-site. Commissioners and staff discussed logistics and timing with county procurement and fiscal-year encumbrance timelines; members approved a not-to-exceed $18,000 figure to allow flexibility for scheduling and vendor costs.
A motion to approve the Selah Freedom/SOAP Project funding was moved, seconded and carried with no recorded opposition. Staff will work with Selah Freedom and the steering committee to finalize dates, scope and invoicing requirements so funds can be encumbered and paid in time for the August outreach if feasible.
Vice Chair Groover-Skipper did not participate in the vote and filed the required disclosure on the record prior to discussion.
