SANFORD, Fla. — A shop in downtown Sanford called Elevate Her Boutique sells hand-crafted items from local artists and raises awareness about human trafficking.

A little over a month since the boutique opened its doors, owner Tina Kadolph said her dreams to provide hope have already come true.

“We’ve had people reach out to us via social media and are just excited about what we’re doing and to help support what we’re doing,” she said.

At the age of 4, Kadolph says her mother sold her to the first man, which is where her trauma began. She said that continued until she was 15 years old.

“I ran away from my family and was pretty much on the streets," she said. "Then (I) got involved with somebody who told me he was going to take care of me and do all these wonderful things for me, who ended up just re-traumatizing and doing the same thing that had already been done to me."

She said that lifestyle was all she knew, even though all the while she hoped for things to change.

“I thought I would commit suicide and end my life because it wasn’t worth living," Kadolph said. "A few months later, I ended up meeting my husband when I was 20 years old, and that really started the shift of change for me."

From that point on, Kadolph said she has worked to help others in the same situation she was in. She started Love Missions Global, which raises awareness and educates the community on human trafficking.

The Elevate Her Boutique is a Love Missions Global project and sells handcrafted items from artists who also have a story to tell.

Tiffany Robinson is an artist and a foster mother of three years. She said when she started the process, she quickly learned the trauma that young girls face in these situations.

“I learned that there were a lot of stories to tell about the challenges that kids go through, particularly little girls, to find their voice, their purpose, their value, and to help them get to the other side of that," Robinson said. "So a lot of my work is trying to empower little girls to help them get through their journey."

She uses her love for art and creating a safe space for young girls as purpose for her artwork. She says the boutique has been a safe space and a community for her.

“It’s good for my soul, because as an artist, of course, I want to get my work out there, I want to show people but we don’t have a lot of time," she said. "As a mom, you don’t have time as a foster mom. You have less time, so this shop just gives me a platform to tell my stories, and it’s good for my soul."

Robinson has her own story, but she said she wants people to remember her for the work she's doing, not the details of her trauma. 

“That voice deserves to be heard, and even if you think no one is listening, you should continue to say it, continue to say what your truth is, continue to shout it out, because you are worth something and you need to find that within yourself,” said Robinson.

Sales at the boutique go right back to the artists and to support Love Mission Global.

The boutique is open Thursday through Sunday and is located at 200 S. Park Ave. Suite 110 in Sanford.

The store will also have a grand opening event on Jan. 11, the day recognized as National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.