The Well of Lexington, Inc., formerly known as Refuge, Inc., was originally formed in 2001 by members of the Church of the Good Shepherd to provide housing and support for people in need in Central Kentucky and specifically refugee families being relocated to Lexington from Africa and the Middle East through Kentucky Refugee Ministries. After 12 years of providing services to families in need, the organization determined that it would dissolve and transfer its assets to another non-profit. At the same time, a group of volunteers at Good Shepherd felt called to start a program modeled after the successful Thistle Farms® program in Nashville to provide housing, case management and employment for women survivors of sex and labor trafficking, prostitution, exploitation, financial coercion, drug addiction, and poverty. With the support of the remaining board members of Refuge, Inc., this group of volunteers formed a new board of directors and renamed the organization The Well of Lexington.
For the next three years, the board of The Well and many volunteers focused their efforts and resources on the development of financial and community resources to support a two-year residential program for women in its target population. The Well of Lexington opened its first house in the August of 2016. Women who enter the program are living in a supportive community for two years. Working with a licensed professional case manager, they are provided all of the services they need to heal from past trauma, improve their education, and address their physical and emotional health.
In 2023 The Well of Lexington transitioned away from a residential program and developed a safety and outreach program, WellStart, to foster well-being in children and youth. The foundation of the program is designed to teach decision-making, self-worth and resiliency in children, youth and families.
