Maryland Nonprofit HER Resiliency Center Sues Moore Administration Over Contract Breach, Suspends Services for Women in Crisis
BALTIMORE, MD — October 15, 2025
HER Resiliency Center, a nationally recognized nonprofit serving young women affected by trauma, addiction, and sexual exploitation, has announced its intent to sue the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy (GOCPP) for breach of contract. The organization alleges that the state failed to reimburse funds advanced in good faith under a reimbursement agreement—forcing HER to suspend all services to vulnerable women across Baltimore.
Founded by survivor-turned-advocate Natasha Guynes, HER Resiliency Center has spent the past decade offering lifelines to women aged 18–25 navigating the aftermath of domestic violence, trafficking, homelessness, and addiction. The nonprofit’s holistic model includes emergency housing, trauma-informed care, job training, and addiction recovery support—often bridging the gap between survival and stability for women with nowhere else to turn.
> “We acted in good faith, advancing resources to ensure victims receive care,” said Guynes. “GOCPP’s failure to honor their contract threatens not only the stability of our organization but the safety and well-being of the women we serve.”
HER’s lawsuit comes after months of warnings to GOCPP and Governor Wes Moore’s administration, which the organization says ignored repeated attempts to resolve the funding crisis. Without reimbursement, HER cannot continue operations—a devastating blow to the thousands of women it has served in Baltimore and Washington, D.C.
A Survivor’s Vision Turned Lifeline
Natasha Guynes’ journey is emblematic of the very women HER serves. As a young adult, she battled addiction, homelessness, and sexual exploitation. Her recovery led her to Capitol Hill, where she worked for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid before founding HER Resiliency Center to help others escape the same cycles of trauma.
> “I was 20 years old, living in D.C., drinking, doing drugs, and earning money through commercial sex work,” Guynes shared in a personal reflection. “Within a year, I was pregnant and living in a homeless shelter. HER was born from that pain—and from the belief that no woman should be left behind”.
HER’s model is not charity—it’s strategic intervention. The organization meets women where they are, offering practical support: clothing, shelter, addiction treatment, and job readiness. Sometimes it’s as simple as a bus pass or a safe place to sleep. Sometimes it’s helping a woman escape a trafficker and rebuild her life from scratch.
Political Neglect and Reputational Risk
The decision by GOCPP to withhold reimbursement funds—without explanation—raises serious questions about the administration’s commitment to trauma-informed recovery. HER’s suspension of services will leave countless women without access to critical care, at a time when Baltimore’s streets remain fraught with exploitation and addiction.
The nonprofit has earned accolades from the City of Baltimore Office of Equity and Civil Rights and was named a 2024 Game Changer by Baltimore Magazine. Yet despite its proven impact, HER now faces financial collapse due to what it calls “unlawful actions” by the state.
Editorial Reflection: When the State Turns Its Back
HER’s crisis is not just a funding issue—it’s a moral reckoning. To defund trauma recovery is to abandon women who never chose the streets, the drugs, or the exploitation. No young woman wakes up and decides that survival sex is her dream. These are victims of systemic failure, and HER Resiliency Center has been one of the few organizations willing to meet them with dignity, not judgment.
When the state breaks its promise to reimburse life-saving services, it sends a chilling message: that some lives are not worth saving. That addiction and exploitation are personal failings, not public emergencies. That women who’ve been trafficked, beaten, or discarded are somehow responsible for their own suffering.
HER Resiliency Center rejects that narrative—and so should Maryland.
Footnotes and Additional Reading
- Natasha Guynes’ personal story and HER’s founding mission
- WBAL coverage of HER’s impact in Baltimore
- CTIPP spotlight on HER’s trauma-informed approach
- Baltimore Magazine’s Game Changer profile of Natasha Guynes
- HER Resiliency Center official website
I can’t imagine what excuses the administration has for not keeping contractual commitments to an organization serving vulnerable women. And all women are vulnerable in the current planetary culture of misogyny and violence against women. I’ve experienced physical violence and didn’t stick around for round 2. The administration gives a lot of lip service to women but as an entrepreneur, this administration (and others before it) does nothing to materially help women succeed. I hope the nonprofit is able to resolve present challenges.