A chilling report from the Department of Homeland Security has just surfaced, revealing the shocking truth about nearly 300,000 unaccompanied migrant children who have crossed our borders and have seemingly vanished into thin air. Yes, you read that correctly—300,000 children, lost in the shadows, with no one actively seeking to uncover their fates.
This is an alarming crisis that demands our immediate attention and action!
Between October 2018 and September 2023, countless children arrived in the United States seeking safety and a better life, only to be released into the arms of “qualified sponsors.” These were not the safe, loving homes we hope for—they were unvetted and often…
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In 2008, something happened that forever changed the lives of our Co-Founders Brian Steele, and his wife Skye Steele. They were doing inner-city outreach to at-risk youth in Phoenix when they stumbled upon a 13-year-old girl being trafficked on 51st Avenue. Can you imagine the shock and horror they must have felt? But instead of turning a blind eye and walking away, they took action.
Their hearts ached as they saw the pain and trauma this young girl had endured. But they didn’t give up on her. They got her the emergency medical help she needed, and then they scrambled to prepare a room for her in the Where Hope Lives program at the Phoenix Dream Center. With open arms, they welcomed her into the program and into their hearts.
That moment marked the beginning of a mission that Brian, Skye and the entire Where Hope Live’s team are on every day – a mission to stop human trafficking. They have seen firsthand the horrors that young women are subjected to and they refuse to stay silent. They are passionate about recovering girls out of human trafficking and helping them heal once they are recovered.
But that’s not where the story ends. The girl they helped in 2008 has now graduated college and is happily married, and Brian and Skye are still in contact with her. That single act of kindness and compassion changed not just her life, but the lives of countless other young women who have since come through the Phoenix Dream Center’s human trafficking recovery program.
Since its opening, the Where Hope Lives program has served over 5,900 girls and young women, most of whom were between the ages of 11 and 26 years old. Each one of those young women has a story – a story of pain, trauma, and survival.
This is a picture that a volunteer took just after we gave this girl a rose and told her they had somewhere for her to go to be safe and to get help.
Pastor Larrie Fraley, Skye Steele, Pastor Brian Steele
In 2008, Pastor Larrie Fraley, Skye Steele, and Pastor Brian Steele came together to launch what today has become the Where Hope Lives program, a powerful initiative aimed at addressing the issue of human trafficking, particularly focusing on the vulnerable girls in Phoenix, Arizona and communities across the United States. Their collective passion for making a difference and bringing hope to those who had fallen victim to this heinous crime was the driving force behind the program’s inception.
The founders shared a deep commitment to combating human trafficking, an issue that had been largely overlooked at the time, especially in Phoenix. With a shared vision of creating a safe haven for trafficked girls, they embarked on a journey that would change countless lives.
The Where Hope Lives program initially began as a grassroots effort, with the founders leveraging their connections within the local community and church networks to raise awareness and generate support. Their dedication and unwavering commitment to the cause soon began to attract the attention of like-minded individuals and churches in the area.
Over the years, the program experienced remarkable growth and expansion, thanks to the generous support of churches and individuals who recognized the urgent need to combat human trafficking and provide a lifeline for its victims. These supporters rallied behind Where Hope Lives, providing financial assistance, resources, and volunteering their time to ensure its success.
How can a 13-year-old girl put the pieces of a broken life back together? Is there any hope of her childhood being restored? What does a day in her life as she heals look like? Sign up to join with these girls as they fight for the restoration of their lives.
Where Hope Lives is a Christ-centered nonprofit dedicated to being the world leader in providing comprehensive healing and recovery services for girls aged 4 to 26 who have endured human trafficking. Committed to excellence, we set the standard in best practices, guiding survivors to reclaim their lives with dignity, hope, and faith.
In today’s intricate world, the transition from child to adult can be tough for girls, with various factors influencing young people both within and beyond their control. Our Christ-centered goal is to facilitate healing from unresolved trauma, addiction, mood disorders, and other co-occurring issues, restoring hope and health.
The treatment process begins with a detailed needs assessment, allowing us to delve beyond surface-level issues and identify root causes. Subsequently, we create a personalized Christ-centered treatment plan that prioritizes safety, encourages accountability, and instills a sense of ownership of their recovery. As patients implement what they learn into practice, they receive Christ-centered feedback from staff and peers, fostering healing and growth.
Therapeutic services are provided using an integrative trauma-healing approach that restores a sense of safety and stability. Treatment planning, services, and case updates are informed by treatment team reports, child and family reporting, collateral documentation, clinical and medical observations and recommendations, and standardized screening measures. Service planning is reflective of each resident’s individual stage of healing, as well as aligned with evidence-based interventions that resonate with the child.
Where Hope Lives is the “program operator” that runs the staffing, the programming, the counseling, therapy, and all of the care that the girls need at the 3 different campuses. All of the major expenses for helping the girls heal are covered by Where Hope Lives.
The Phoenix Dream Center is the “campus location” where Where Hope Lives operates a human trafficking recovery program to care for girls and young women who are aged 17 to 26 years old. Some of the campus costs like insurance, permits, and licensing still fall to the Phoenix Dream Center, but all of the major expenses for helping the girls heal are covered by Where Hope Lives.
StreetLightUSA is the “campus location” where Where Hope LIves operates a human trafficking recovery program for teen girls who are between the ages of 13 and 17 years old. Some of the campus costs like insurance, permits, and licensing still fall to the StreetLightUSA, but all of the major expenses for helping the girls heal are covered by Where Hope Lives.
Natalie’s House is the “campus location” where Where Hope Lives operates a human trafficking recovery program for children who are between the ages of 4 and 13 years old. Some of the campus costs like insurance, permits, and licensing still fall to the Natalie’s House, but all of the major expenses for helping the girls heal are covered by Where Hope Lives.
The nonprofit business name for Where Hope Lives is City Help Inc of Phoenix dba Where Hope Lives. City Help Inc of Phoenix is a Platinum Rated GuideStar nonprofit (the highest rating). You may see “City Help” on some of your receipts for Where Hope Lives or on some tax credit listings.
City Help is not a new entity. It’s been running operations for these ministry entities since 2002.
City Help’s non profit EIN tax ID number is 86-1001113 and the AZ Qualifying Charitable Organization number is 20061.
Yes! Giving to the Phoenix Dream Center, StreetLightUSA or Natalie’s house will help cover the campus-specific costs like insurance, licensing, and permits. But it will not help cover the direct care costs to help the girls.
If you want to give in a way that helps the girls more directly, giving to Where Hope Lives helps cover those types of direct care costs.
We’re proud to be a Platinum (the highest) rated GuideStar nonprofit. See our GuideStar Platinum rating HERE.
GuideStar profiles are the most exhaustive, most secure, most accurate reflection of a nonprofit’s commitment to transparency. GuideStar also updates our profile within 15 minutes of new information being added so donors and supporters have the very latest and most up-to-date information.
We have not had the same experience with Charity Navigator.
Charity Navigator updates to our profile often take months and some changes have taken over a year to reflect in our profile.
Charity Navigator also greatly limits our profile due to the sensitive nature of the services we provide to children who have been sexually exploited. These limitations keep key and critical information from being shared to our donors and supporters.
While we appreciate the added privacy, we do believe there is a way to provide transparency to our donors while also protecting the privacy of the precious children we serve.
Charity Navigator does not offer that option.
The objectives and the missions of StreetLightUSA and the Phoenix Dream Center align at the point in which both are an expressly Christ-centered approach to combatting human trafficking. The heart and the passion and the vision comes from a Christ-centered response, and all roads of redemption lead to the children and young adults who are being served walking in a healthy personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Here are some of the strategic objectives for Where Hope Lives.
How does the transition contribute to the overall impact and sustainability of the effort?
By aligning the Phoenix Dream Center and StreetLightUSA vision and resources we are able to:
Politics
While we deeply respect and value diverse viewpoints, we want to make it clear that our primary focus is on the well-being of the children we serve. Our mission is to provide support and resources to those in need, and we believe that political perspectives should not overshadow this essential goal. Engaging in discussions that prioritize political opinions over the needs of the children we serve detracts from our core mission. So if you’re the type of person that puts politics above helping children, then we’re probably not the right nonprofit for you to be associated with.
However, in our journey to fight for the children we serve, the Phoenix Dream Center, StreetLightUSA and Where Hope Lives have hosted dozens of politicians over the last 20 years in an effort to educate them on the importance of their role in the fight against human trafficking and homelessness. We have hosted Democrats, Republicans, Independents and a few peculiar cross breeds in between. But our role is never to help them get elected. It is always and only to help educate them about the issues.
There is SO MUCH MORE that elected politicians could be doing to stop human trafficking and homelessness that they are not. Regardless of party, we will always fight for more support for the precious people we serve.
Sexworkers and Legalized Prostitution
As a nonprofit dedicated to ending the exploitation of children and women, we want to make our position unequivocally clear: we cannot and do not endorse any form of legalized prostitution. Our commitment to combating exploitation is rooted in a deep understanding of the profound harm that such practices inflict on women and vulnerable populations.
Extensive research and numerous studies have demonstrated that legalized prostitution exacerbates harm to women. These studies reveal that legalizing prostitution often leads to increased rates of violence, exploitation, and abuse against women, as well as a dangerous escalation in demand that can result in the further exploitation of younger women and children. The evidence shows that rather than providing protection, legalized prostitution can perpetuate cycles of abuse and create environments where the exploitation of vulnerable individuals becomes more normalized.
Our organization stands firmly against any practices that contribute to the exploitation and abuse of individuals. We are dedicated to advocating for and supporting policies that protect and empower women and children, and we remain committed to working towards a world where such exploitation is unequivocally condemned and eradicated.
The Border and Unaccompanied Minors
We are alarmed and incensed about the recent United States Homeland Security Management Alert that exposes that over 300,000 children have been unnecessarily put at risk of human trafficking and abuse due to the policies governing how to handle unaccompanied children crossing the border.
In their own words: We cannot monitor all of the children released from our custody after they cross the border, and we have no assurance that these kids are safe from trafficking, exploitation, or forced labor. – U.S. Department of Homeland Security
As a nonprofit dedicated to the safety and well-being of all children, we must address an urgent issue concerning border policies and their impact on child safety. We recognize and deeply understand that there is overwhelming evidence indicating that open border policies can pose significant risks to children, including an increased vulnerability to human trafficking and sex trafficking.
Recent reports, including the 2024 Management Alert from Homeland Security, provide alarming evidence of these risks. The report highlights a severe crisis at the southern border, revealing that an estimated 300,000 children are now at heightened risk of human trafficking. This data underscores the urgent need for effective measures to protect children from such exploitation.
Our commitment to safeguarding children means that we must address and advocate for solutions that prevent their exploitation. The evidence is clear: the current border situation exacerbates risks and vulnerabilities, making it crucial to address these issues with urgency and compassion.
We are dedicated to working towards solutions that ensure the safety and protection of every child. Our efforts focus on creating safe environments and advocating for policies that prevent trafficking and exploitation, so that every child can grow up free from harm.
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Little girls like “Emma” who are as young as 4 years old are served every day in the Where Hope Lives Children’s Program for girls age 4 to 13 years old.
You can help Emma and girls like her get the safe housing, food, clothing, medical counseling, and support they need to heal.
Teen girls like “Jamie” who are as young as 13 years old are served every day in the Where Hope Lives Teen Program for girls age 13 to 17 years old.
You can help Jamie and girls like her get the safe housing, food, clothing, medical, counseling, and support they need to heal.
Young women like “Jenny” who are as young as 17 years old are served every day in the Where Hope Lives Young Adult Program for girls age 17 to 26 years old.
You can help Jenny and girls like her get the safe housing, food, clothing, medical, counseling, and support they need to heal.
Walk alongside girls as they heal from the terrible abuse of human trafficking.
Watch this independent documentary film based on a true story.
Signup for free human trafficking awareness and prevention digital training.
Get more free human trafficking research and resources to make a difference.
Where Hope Lives is a dba of City Help Inc of Phoenix and is committed to helping children and young adult human trafficking survivors heal.
How can a 13-year-old girl put the pieces of a broken life back together? Is there any hope of her childhood being restored? What does a day in her life as she heals look like? Sign up to join with these girls as they fight for the restoration of their lives.
A generous foundation is currently matching up to $100,000 to go toward the NEW children’s program serving children between 4 years old and 13 years old.
