Mission Statement
We seek to increase awareness and education surrounding the issue of sexual exploitation and to provide shelter and restoration for its victims.
Background
Founded in 2011, Awaken is a Christian non-profit organization based in Reno seeking to combat the commercial, sexual exploitation and trafficking of women and children throughout Nevada. Awaken’s mission is to increase awareness and education surrounding the issue of sexual exploitation, and to provide shelter and restoration for its victims.
Awaken strives to accomplish its mission through three key strategies: increasing community awareness, advocating for improved laws and providing direct services to victims. The founder and Executive Director, Melissa Holland, graduated with her Masters Degree from the University of Nevada, Reno and is a Marriage and Family Therapist. Working extensively with this target population, Ms. Holland has developed a high-level of expertise regarding human trafficking in our region and the specialized and comprehensive needs of its victims. In May of 2011, Ms. Holland founded Awaken.
During 2012, the agency directly served more than 40 women and girls with everything from rental assistance and financial aid for college, to helping navigate the medical and legal systems. Tragically, all victims have had a history of emotional, physical or sexual abuse as children. As many of the women have been trafficked beginning at a young age, navigating the world as a free adult or young woman is difficult and requires intensive and specialized interventions. Services provided through Awaken are necessary to help these victims to achieve independence and live a life free from commercial sexual exploitation.
