[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 198 (Friday, November 20, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1062-E1063]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              HONORING KELLIE MARKEY AS IOWAN OF THE WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CYNTHIA AXNE

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 20, 2020

  Mrs. AXNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of 
Representatives to join me in recognizing Kellie Markey, the founder 
and executive director of Dorothy's House in Des Moines, as our Iowan 
of the Week for the week of October 16, 2020.
  Raised and educated in Iowa, Kellie moved back to Des Moines in 2011 
and began volunteering in order to reconnect with her community. She 
started working with teen girls at Youth Emergency Services & Shelter 
(YESS) and began to learn more about not only the nature of abuse 
against kids in our area, but also the extreme challenges these 
individuals face as they age out of care systems and try to find 
success in the world without proper resources.

[[Page E1063]]

  Inspired by the hope and optimism of these young people who had 
endured so much hardship, Kellie became a foster parent for girls who 
had suffered abuse and sexual assault. The experience opened her eyes 
further to the challenges average people face in helping survivors stay 
safe and flourish. She also realized how little the crimes of sex 
trafficking and sexual exploitation are discussed in our communities, 
despite how present they are--and that there wasn't a place at the time 
that could house survivors and help them with their healing journey. 
That is when Kellie decided to found Dorothy's House.
  Dorothy's House was established to create a safe place in Iowa for 
survivors of sex trafficking and exploitation to get back on their feet 
and find resources, support, and the space they needed to take those 
next steps. They provide both residential and nonresidential 
programming, which for many includes substance abuse or mental health 
treatment.
  The mission of Dorothy's House is to support the individual. Because 
of this, they make sure to look at someone's profile and identify 
specifically how they can assist. Common personal goals and needs 
include physical health care, mental wellbeing, medication support, 
legal support, job skills, and so on. After identifying what 
specifically works for the individual's plan, Dorothy's House then 
surrounds that individual with resources to address and overcome 
deficiencies.
  Awareness is a major challenge when it comes to combating 
trafficking. It may be hard for people to believe, but the crime of 
trafficking is prevalent in Iowa. One of the main goals for Kellie and 
her team is to help people understand that this crime is happening, 
whether they are aware of it or not. It is underreported, yet it still 
happens right here in our towns and neighborhoods. By raising awareness 
of the issue and working with other advocates and law enforcement, 
Dorothy's House hopes to make it so difficult to transact that 
traffickers avoid Iowa altogether.
  Kellie has made it clear she was not trying to reinvent the wheel on 
resources when it came to Dorothy's House. We are fortunate that Polk 
County and Iowa have many organizations and groups that help 
participants remember their goals and help them to be independent and 
happy. Since it was founded, however, Dorothy's House has provided a 
remarkable opportunity for survivors to heal and for the community to 
stand up against abuse. Kellie's organization has already helped many, 
and I have no doubt her good work will continue to make a meaningful 
impact on everyone Dorothy's House serves.
  When Iowans identify a problem, they don't walk away from it; they 
take action and make a difference. Kellie felt called upon to work with 
struggling teens, to foster youth in need of a stable environment, and 
to found a unique organization dedicated to helping individuals who 
have endured unimaginable suffering. That sense of hope and optimism in 
the face of challenge runs deep in Iowans, and Kellie is no exception. 
She and the volunteers of Dorothy's House confront pain and challenges 
every day, yet they still manage to see silver linings and focus on the 
good--just like those they serve. I want to thank Kellie Markey and her 
amazing team at Dorothy's House for their compassion, complete 
dedication, and hard work in central Iowa, and it is my pleasure to 
recognize them as Iowan of the Week.

                          ____________________