New Creation VA held a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday for a new social enterprise café being built behind its current South Main Street location in Harrisonburg.Photo: Daniel Lin / DN-R
New Creation VA, a Harrisonburg-based nonprofit focused on ending human trafficking, is growing its efforts with a new expansion. On Thursday, the organization broke ground on a second building that will house office space, a warehouse, and a social enterprise café. The goal is to create job opportunities for women facing difficult circumstances.
“We’re here to creatively combat human trafficking,” said Founder and Executive Director Sabrina Dorman-Andrew. “For years, we’ve helped provide jobs globally for those at risk or recovering from trafficking. Now, we’re expanding that mission locally by offering meaningful work to women overcoming challenges like trafficking, domestic violence, and trauma.”
The expansion aims to employ 8 to 12 women and offer them financial literacy training. Dorman-Andrew noted that café work—like training to be a barista—can lead to long-term job opportunities, as these skills are widely transferable across the country.
Dorman-Andrew and her husband, Steve, started New Creation VA in 2012 to raise awareness about human trafficking, an issue they felt wasn’t getting enough attention at the time. Since then, the nonprofit has partnered with more than 200 organizations worldwide. They sell handcrafted goods like jewelry, candles, and bags made by survivors or individuals at risk—both in their storefront and online.
The new building will also help them grow those partnerships and include a full-service espresso bar offering breakfast and lunch. The team hopes to source many ingredients from local suppliers, with the goal of opening the new space within 12 to 18 months.
Mandy Lawson, the organization’s communications and development coordinator, emphasized the importance of addressing human trafficking proactively. “It’s tough work and can feel overwhelming,” she said. “But we focus on prevention—educating the community and especially young people, to raise awareness before trafficking happens.”
New Creation VA collaborates with the Prevention Project to deliver anti-trafficking curriculum in local elementary, middle, and high schools. They are located at 3051 S. Main Street in Harrisonburg.
SOURCE: Harrisonburg DNR