Unlocking Economic Futures Through Entrepreneurship: Restore NYC

In celebration of our partners and the impactful work they do to expand economic opportunity, we interviewed several of our Nasdaq Foundation quarterly grant recipients to learn more about their roles, backgrounds, and the significance of their missions. We spoke with Dr. Lenore Schaffer, Chief Program Officer at Restore NYC, about their commitment to making freedom real for survivors of human trafficking.

Tell us about Restore NYC. What is its core mission, and how does it empower economic opportunity in the communities you serve? 

Restore NYC’s mission is to make freedom real for survivors of human trafficking in the United States. We do this through trauma-informed, survivor-centered programming across three core areas: economic empowerment, housing, and counseling/case management. Our vision is a world free from trafficking—and for every survivor, a life of flourishing, hope, and restoration. Economic opportunity is foundational to our work. After exiting trafficking, survivors can face many barriers to lasting freedom, from financial instability and debt to stigma and isolation. Again and again, survivors tell us what they need most is a safe, stable source of income. Our Economic Empowerment program responds directly to that need through a continuum of services—including job readiness training, career development, and a two-tiered Entrepreneurship track. Survivors can begin with our 8-week Entrepreneurship Training, and those who wish to continue can enroll in Entrepreneurship Incubation to receive individualized business coaching and access to seed funding. Since 2020, we have awarded $131,950 in seed funding to 30 survivor entrepreneurs. These services equip participants with the skills and confidence to pursue economic independence on their own terms—creating sustainable pathways to stability and self-determination. 

Can you share a moment when you saw the impact of Restore NYC come to life? What change did that moment help spark in terms of financial empowerment? 

One of the most powerful moments came during a recent Pitch Night—a culminating event in our Entrepreneurship Incubation service where survivors present their business plans to a panel of judges in a trauma-informed, supportive setting. One participant, a survivor of labor trafficking, stood up and shared her vision for a cleaning business that would hire other immigrant women escaping exploitative work. After years of being told she had nothing to offer, she spoke with confidence, clarity, and pride—and was awarded seed funding to help launch her business. That moment wasn’t just about a business plan—it was about dignity, transformation, and power. It sparked more than economic growth; it inspired her peers and reminded all of us that survivors are not just reclaiming their own futures—they are becoming agents of change within their communities. 

Restore’s Entrepreneurship services harness the power of business ownership as a pathway to long-term economic independence. What makes this approach uniquely effective for the individuals you serve, and how do you anticipate the Nasdaq Foundation's Quarterly Grant helping you measure and amplify its impact?

 Entrepreneurship is a particularly powerful tool for survivors of trafficking because it provides flexibility, autonomy, and a tangible pathway to financial independence—especially for individuals facing barriers to traditional employment due to immigration status, trauma, or limited formal education. What makes Restore’s model uniquely effective is our two-tiered approach: survivors begin with an 8-week Entrepreneurship Training class, building their confidence and foundational skills like business planning and marketing; those who are ready to move forward enroll in Entrepreneurship Incubation, where they receive individualized coaching, mentoring, and the opportunity to secure seed funding through our trauma-informed “Pitch Night.” With support from the Nasdaq Foundation, we are strengthening both components of this service. During the current grant period, we’re supporting all Entrepreneurship Incubation participants with one-on-one coaching and business development, while revising our training curriculum to incorporate financial trauma awareness and survivor feedback. We will relaunch the full Entrepreneurship Training class, reaching at least 15 survivors and tracking pre- and post-program assessments of entrepreneurial knowledge and self-efficacy. Our team will monitor outcomes such as business model completion, participant earnings, and six-month post-exit evaluations to assess lasting progress. Nasdaq’s investment is helping us build a more rigorous, data-informed approach to survivor entrepreneurship—amplifying impact and creating sustainable economic pathways for those too often excluded from opportunity. 

What’s one surprising insight or strategy your team has discovered that’s opened up new possibilities for the people you serve to grow their businesses and build more secure financial futures? 

One unexpected insight was the role that financial trauma plays in how survivors approach entrepreneurship. Even when presented with resources and encouragement, many participants struggled with fear, self-doubt, or avoidance around financial decision-making. In response, we integrated financial trauma awareness into our training—a shift that has made a remarkable difference. By normalizing these fears and providing tools to navigate them, we’ve seen a boost in participant confidence, business planning quality, and long-term engagement. Addressing financial trauma head-on has not only improved business outcomes but also helped survivors build healthier relationships with money, laying the foundation for more secure financial futures.

What lasting impact do you hope Restore NYC will help shape in the communities you serve? 

At Restore NYC, we believe the long-term impact of our work is not just in individual survivor success stories, but in the systemic change that comes when survivors are equipped to lead, grow, and reinvest in their communities. Our hope is to help shape a future where economic independence is not a privilege, but a right—where survivors of human trafficking, especially those who are most vulnerable, are seen as entrepreneurs, professionals, and agents of change. Through our economic empowerment services, we envision a ripple effect: survivors launching businesses that employ others, breaking cycles of poverty, and contributing to a more inclusive economy. When we invest in survivors as leaders, we fuel systemic change led by those with lived experience. That is the future Restore is working toward: one where freedom is lasting, justice is restorative, and opportunity is equitable for all.