Walking alongside survivors toward lasting independence.
Salt and Light Coalition NFP is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) dedicated to supporting survivors of human trafficking through a structured, trauma-informed workforce development model. Founded by Dr. Izabel Olson, whose Ph.D. in Learning Sciences from Northwestern University informs every element of our work, SALC walks alongside survivors toward lasting independence.
Every year, 25,000 women are trafficked in Chicago. 62% are trafficked before the age of 18, robbed of the chance to finish school or build a work history. Once rescued, they face a workforce that does not know how to receive them. SALC exists to change that.
A structured social and emotional life skills curriculum that invites survivors to examine and reshape their relationship to their bio, psycho, social, and spiritual selves.
Workforce development anchored in neuroplasticity and personal branding, helping Thrivers reframe their outlook and rebuild their identity through skills training and a growth mindset.
Ongoing mentorship, alumni events, targeted workshops, and the SALT Tank microloan program for sustained community for the long haul.
Where women begin. Where they go.
Before and after SALC, the numbers tell a story of radical transformation. These are the outcomes reported by Thrivers following their time in the program.
They do not just understand this work. They have lived it.
At SALC, 90% of our core staff are graduates of our own program. They bring not only professional expertise but the lived knowledge that no credential can teach. This is not a workforce. It is a community.
Led by Dr. Izabel Olson, Founder, alongside Taylor Holm, Program Director, and Corinne Kopsky, Director of Operations, our team reflects SALC’s deepest conviction: that survivors are the most powerful advocates for survivors.
Our Thrivers say it best.
Nutrition and fitness: investing in the whole woman.
Thrivers participate in nutrition education and fitness programming four days a week for three months, embedded within the Equip phase. The results are undeniable.
Every dollar is a direct investment in a survivor’s future.
In 2025, SALC invested a total of $922,697 across all operations.
Where the program dollar goes.
Of the $504,421 invested in programming in 2025, the largest portion went directly into the hands and lives of participants. Every budget line reflects a deliberate commitment to whole-person transformation.
Of that total, $287,525 was invested directly into participants through stipends, transportation assistance, and start of life grants to help Thrivers as they transition into the workforce.
None of this work is possible without you.
Salt and Light Coalition was founded on a core belief: that a research-backed, survivor-centered curriculum can equip women to overcome trauma and build lives of lasting independence. We prioritize depth over reach, investing fully in the transformation of each Thriver because we know that when a woman changes, her family, her community, and the world around her changes too.
None of this work is possible without the generosity of our donors, the dedication of our partners, and the courage of the 220 women who trusted SALC with their stories and their futures in 2025. Thank you for being part of this work.
Walking alongside survivors toward lasting independence.
Salt and Light Coalition NFP is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) dedicated to supporting survivors of human trafficking through a structured, trauma-informed workforce development model. Founded by Dr. Izabel Olson, whose Ph.D. in Learning Sciences from Northwestern University informs every element of our work, SALC walks alongside survivors toward lasting independence.
Every year, 25,000 women are trafficked in Chicago. 62% are trafficked before the age of 18, robbed of the chance to finish school or build a work history. Once rescued, they face a workforce that does not know how to receive them. SALC exists to change that.
A structured social and emotional life skills curriculum that invites survivors to examine and reshape their relationship to their bio, psycho, social, and spiritual selves.
Workforce development anchored in neuroplasticity and personal branding, helping Thrivers reframe their outlook and rebuild their identity through skills training and a growth mindset.
Ongoing mentorship, alumni events, targeted workshops, and the SALT Tank microloan program for sustained community for the long haul.
Where women begin. Where they go.
Before and after SALC, the numbers tell a story of radical transformation. These are the outcomes reported by Thrivers following their time in the program.
They do not just understand this work. They have lived it.
At SALC, 90% of our core staff are graduates of our own program. They bring not only professional expertise but the lived knowledge that no credential can teach. This is not a workforce. It is a community.
Led by Dr. Izabel Olson, Founder, alongside Taylor Holm, Program Director, and Corinne Kopsky, Director of Operations, our team reflects SALC’s deepest conviction: that survivors are the most powerful advocates for survivors.
Our Thrivers say it best.
Nutrition and fitness: investing in the whole woman.
Thrivers participate in nutrition education and fitness programming four days a week for three months, embedded within the Equip phase. The results are undeniable.
Every dollar is a direct investment in a survivor’s future.
In 2025, SALC invested a total of $922,697 across all operations.
Where the program dollar goes.
Of the $504,421 invested in programming in 2025, the largest portion went directly into the hands and lives of participants. Every budget line reflects a deliberate commitment to whole-person transformation.
Of that total, $287,525 was invested directly into participants through stipends, transportation assistance, and start of life grants to help Thrivers as they transition into the workforce.
None of this work is possible without you.
Salt and Light Coalition was founded on a core belief: that a research-backed, survivor-centered curriculum can equip women to overcome trauma and build lives of lasting independence. We prioritize depth over reach, investing fully in the transformation of each Thriver because we know that when a woman changes, her family, her community, and the world around her changes too.
None of this work is possible without the generosity of our donors, the dedication of our partners, and the courage of the 220 women who trusted SALC with their stories and their futures in 2025. Thank you for being part of this work.
Walking alongside survivors toward lasting independence.
Salt and Light Coalition NFP is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) dedicated to supporting survivors of human trafficking through a structured, trauma-informed workforce development model. Founded by Dr. Izabel Olson, whose Ph.D. in Learning Sciences from Northwestern University informs every element of our work, SALC walks alongside survivors toward lasting independence.
Every year, 25,000 women are trafficked in Chicago. 62% are trafficked before the age of 18, robbed of the chance to finish school or build a work history. Once rescued, they face a workforce that does not know how to receive them. SALC exists to change that.
A structured social and emotional life skills curriculum that invites survivors to examine and reshape their relationship to their bio, psycho, social, and spiritual selves.
Workforce development anchored in neuroplasticity and personal branding, helping Thrivers reframe their outlook and rebuild their identity through skills training and a growth mindset.
Ongoing mentorship, alumni events, targeted workshops, and the SALT Tank microloan program for sustained community for the long haul.
Where women begin. Where they go.
Before and after SALC, the numbers tell a story of radical transformation. These are the outcomes reported by Thrivers following their time in the program.
They do not just understand this work. They have lived it.
At SALC, 90% of our core staff are graduates of our own program. They bring not only professional expertise but the lived knowledge that no credential can teach. This is not a workforce. It is a community.
Led by Dr. Izabel Olson, Founder, alongside Taylor Holm, Program Director, and Corinne Kopsky, Director of Operations, our team reflects SALC’s deepest conviction: that survivors are the most powerful advocates for survivors.
Our Thrivers say it best.
Nutrition and fitness: investing in the whole woman.
Thrivers participate in nutrition education and fitness programming four days a week for three months, embedded within the Equip phase. The results are undeniable.
Every dollar is a direct investment in a survivor’s future.
In 2025, SALC invested a total of $922,697 across all operations.
Where the program dollar goes.
Of the $504,421 invested in programming in 2025, the largest portion went directly into the hands and lives of participants. Every budget line reflects a deliberate commitment to whole-person transformation.
Of that total, $287,525 was invested directly into participants through stipends, transportation assistance, and start of life grants to help Thrivers as they transition into the workforce.
None of this work is possible without you.
Salt and Light Coalition was founded on a core belief: that a research-backed, survivor-centered curriculum can equip women to overcome trauma and build lives of lasting independence. We prioritize depth over reach, investing fully in the transformation of each Thriver because we know that when a woman changes, her family, her community, and the world around her changes too.
None of this work is possible without the generosity of our donors, the dedication of our partners, and the courage of the 220 women who trusted SALC with their stories and their futures in 2025. Thank you for being part of this work.