14 Aug Wichita Children’s Home Receives $25,000 Grant from the Kansas Human Trafficking Victim Assistance Fund

Wichita Children’s Home recently received a grant for $25,000 from the Kansas Human Trafficking Victim Assistance Fund to expand and enhance depth and breadth of WCH’s survivor aftercare services for victims of human trafficking.

Wichita Children’s Home (WCH) Anti-Human Trafficking Initiative incudes outreach and prevention; and emergency shelter, transitional living, and aftercare services are outcome based, trauma-informed and victim-centered. Our primary goal is to empower these young women to heal and reclaim their lives.

WCH serves human trafficking (HT) victims from anywhere within the state of Kansas. Most girls served to date are from the Sedgwick County/Wichita area. All the minors served are in state custody. However, girls aging out of care or who are released from state custody before they have developed sufficient protective factors (including life skills and coping skills) or established trusting relationships with supportive adults may fall back into crisis. Without these skills, they are likely to end up back out on the streets even more hopeless, disheartened, and vulnerable.

WCH serves female HT victims through the age of 22. Those under 18 and in state custody are housed at Garver House (residential setting for victims or those at risk for HT). If released from state custody before turning 18, or if between the ages of 18-22, they are housed at WCH’s BRIDGES transitional living apartment complex.

The anti-human trafficking team identified that girls were exiting the program too quickly. This was limiting the quality of the aftercare planning process and the ability for the HT therapist and the survivor aftercare coordinator to prepare the girls for a successful exit and sustainable plan for self-sufficiency. Through funding from the Kansas Human Trafficking Victim Assistance Fund, Wichita Children’s Fund will increase the number and percentage of youth that have made progress in key outcome areas including safe and stable housing, well-being, employment/education, and permanency 12 months from exiting the program.

At Assel Grant Services our mission is to help you achieve yours. We take pride in every success knowing that we are helping our community through assisting organizations like Wichita Children’s Home to achieve their goals and deepen their impact. If you are interested in talking with us about how Assel Grant Services might be able to help your organization, please contact us!