Human Trafficking Survivor Given a Car

Abused at a young age, a runaway foster child and a victim of human trafficking were terms that used to describe Cody Foute; now, it’s the word “inspiration.” When Cody Foute received a free 2010 Toyota Corolla, it was more than she imagined. “I can’t even explain how excited I was and am. It’s almost unreal,” the 27-year-old Moreno Valley local said. Foute was given the vehicle during a ceremony held earlier this month at Ben Clymer’s The Body Shop in Moreno Valley after she was chosen to receive the salvaged and refurbished vehicle donated by Ben Clymer’s and other community businesses. Ben Clymer Jr., vice president of The Body Shop, said, “She was so over-the-top excited and couldn’t stop thanking the Lord. We actually told her in person, and she almost had us in tears.” In the past year, Foute, a human trafficking survivor, who in 2011 escaped from her captors, has received her GED, found a job, embraced sobriety and found a safe home for her and her 4-year-old daughter in a local women’s shelter. “In addition to helping those seeking to escape the lifestyle, I can be a better mom to my daughter. I don’t have to worry about the tires popping, or the seat belt not working, or the car not starting, or being stranded on the side of the road,” Foute said. As a motivational speaker for Runaway Girl, an organization devoted to employing and creating career opportunities for former runaways and survivors of commercial sexual exploitation, Foute plans to use the car she was given to travel and reach out to troubled youth and speak to them about her experiences. “I have had to turn some opportunities down because I just simply couldn’t get there and it broke my heart,” shared an emotional Foute. Her previous vehicle, a 1989 Nissan Sentra, had upwards of 269,000 miles on it and could not be driven for more than five to ten minutes at a time, shared Ben Clymer Jr., preventing her from traveling to speak with youth. “I loved my car. I was grateful for what I had,” Foute said, but her new vehicle provides reliability to both her and her daughter. She donated her old car to a woman also seeking peace at the women’s shelter, who, according to Ben Clymer Jr., only travels very short distances from their home. Growing up, Foute’s father was in prison and her mother turned to drugs. Foute grew up in the foster care system and at 15 was unknowingly recruited by a girl slightly older than her. The girl worked for a group of pimps who forced Foute into human trafficking by telling her she had to work for them as repayment for the things they had bought her when she thought they were just “friends.” Shortly after her kidnapping, she was forced onto the streets and into drug and alcohol addiction. For 10 years Foute was a victim of this lifestle; today, she is a survivor. “I’ve escaped and now I speak and share a life of hope,” said Foute. “I’m helping find my worth by spreading my story and helping other girls who are in that situation.” Foute speaks at churches, organizations and youth groups. She also works closely with the FBI, law enforcement, first responders and social workers in their training to identify human trafficking rings and how to reach out to the victims. “It’s up to the first responders to say the right thing because it can make the difference to these girls between staying in that situation and escaping,” Foute said. “My goal is to bring awareness to people; just because we are smiling on the outside doesn’t mean we are happy; we are dying inside. There’s a lot of mind control, coercion, manipulation, entrapment and training that goes on. 99.9 percent of the time, it’s not the case that a girl is on the corner because she wants to be. She was forced, and it’s happening right here in our city. My hope is to change the way people look at those who are in that situation, and help them.” Foute said of The Body Shop and other community donors, “They have no idea how many other lives they are going to change. They are helping me spread my story.” Foute’s new Corolla was donated by the Automobile Club of Southern California after it was recovered at a salvage yard. The Body Shop workers donated their labor to repair the car using parts donated by PD Wholesale. Martin Auto Color of San Bernardino provided the paint for the vehicle and Enterprise Rent-A-Car donated one year of insurance. The car also came with a trunk full of groceries. Other partners included PPG and Community Connect, a Riverside-area nonprofit organization who works each year with Ben Clymer’s The Body Shop to reach out to local nonprofits in search of a vehicle recipient, asking them to nominate deserving individuals from within the community. The Body Shop employees then choose the recipients. Bobbie Neff, President of Community Connect, helped connect The Body Shop employees with Foute. A grateful Foute shares, “Sometimes I look out my window, and it’s just so beautiful. I never knew what an impact this would have on me. This is the kind of community we should be, helping those that need help.” Ben Clymer Jr. shared that the car giveaway was inspired by Mike’s Auto Body, based in Concord, Calif., who also gives away cars to those in need. Ever since, shared Ben Clymer Jr., The Body Shop has given away vehicles each year at each of their three locations in Moreno Valley, Riverside and Yucaipa. Through it all, Foute’s faith remains strong. With tears in her eyes, she shares, “Our past does not define who we are or what we can do to make a difference. God continues to turn the bad that happened to me into good and He is doing it with this car. I’m just so blessed to be given this opportunity.”