The Boulder City nonprofit is building a foundation for victims of child sex trafficking

Las Vegas, Nev. (FOX5) – A Boulder City nonprofit has announced it will break ground later this month on a facility that will help child victims of sex trafficking.

In what it calls a “first-of-its-kind” facility, on Oct. 25 of this year at its Ranch St. Healing Center campus.

St. Jude says the Healing Center campus will “provide safe residential treatment and a specialized recovery program to care for children who have been forced into sex for money.”

As part of the program, St. Jude notes that the Healing Center has underground housing, comprehensive treatment options, survivor advocates, trauma-sensitive design and a local school run by the school district that is dedicated to this. population to support treatment.

“Sex trafficking has devastating consequences for its victims, including long-term physical and psychological harm, illness and even death,” said Dr. Christina Vela, executive director of St. Jude Children’s Ranch. “By establishing a Healing Center at our flagship campus in Boulder City, Nevada, we can address all aspects of the recovery process while providing a safe space where they can heal while participating in the foundational parts of childhood, including going to school and creating a happy and positive experience.”

St. Jude says the Healing Center will consist of 10 acres of land that will have “individual therapeutic homes to help the growing population of victims who have nowhere else to turn for comprehensive treatment and housing options.”

“Welcome to the future home of the treatment center. This whole 10 acres is going to be turned into a place of healing,” St. Jude CEO Christine Vela previously told FOX5’s John Hook. Vela said the treatment center is the best and only hopes to break the cycle of child exploitation.

According to St. Jude, the single-story homes will mimic a neighborhood setting, with walking paths and extensive landscaping designed to enhance a sense of safety.

“Therapy offices and outdoor areas encourage transformation through connection to nature, while additional plans include a multi-purpose building that will include an on-site school, meeting space, library, computer lab, and yoga and meditation room.” he says.

St. Jude says the overall cost of its Healing Center project is estimated at $25 million. The group says it has received more than half of the money raised through donations and pledges.

According to St. Jude, the Clark County School District has approved $5 million to build a school that will be located on the Healing Center campus.

St. Jude says construction on the Healing Center campus is expected to be completed by spring 2024. The facility is expected to open to residents by next summer.

See below for more information: https://stjudesranch.org/healing-center-donation-page/

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