Frequently Asked Questions
Curious to learn more? Check our frequently asked question topics below to explore some of the components and dynamics of the work Courage Worldwide is doing in the anti-trafficking field.
Is Courage Worldwide a 501(c)3 organization? We received our 501(c)3 status from the IRS in 2005. In addition to having this status, we are proud to have earned the highest ratings from external organizations who rate non-profits’ transparency and accountability including GuideStar, Charity Navigator, and the ECFA.
Why should I invest in Courage Worldwide’s mission and vision? Your gift, woven together with financial support from other individuals and organizations, helps us provide necessary therapeutic and residential care to child survivors of sex trafficking. There are so few resources for this population across the United States and around the world. When you entrust us with your gift, you can rest assured your money is aiding our substantiated and documented successful work to support these survivors.
Tell me about the leadership of Courage Worldwide? Our non-profit was founded by Jenny Williamson in 2005 as an organization seeking to help people find their purpose. When she discovered in 2007 that children were being sold for sex, the mission of the organization immediately pivoted and became laser focused on providing safe homes and resources for minor, female victims of sex trafficking. Jenny's current role is CEO of the organization; in this role, she reports to the Courage Worldwide Board of Directors. Check out our Leadership page to read more of Jenny’s story and to learn about our incredible Board of Directors.
How was the Courage House program designed? The Courage House program has multiple components. The mental health component was designed by Dr. Benjamin Keyes, a renowned adolescent trauma specialist, and Dr. Vanessa Snyder, an expert in adolescent trauma and, specifically, the commercial sexual exploitation of children. Together, they created the comprehensive treatment program utilizing a broad array of therapeutic modalities like group and individual counseling, art therapy, music therapy, and equine therapy. The educational component was designed to incorporate accredited teaching professionals in tandem with local county educational programs by providing individualized education onsite. Working together with local educational professionals better ensures our residents can more easily transition to mainstreamed education when they are ready. The foundation of the program is individualized and strength based. Each survivor crafts what we call her Unique Life Plan (ULP) to identify her strengths, passions, dreams, and desires for her life, all wrapped up into a plan forming her pathway to success. To maintain the program's high success rates, the program is consistently evaluated and adjusted based on survivor perspectives and trauma-informed leaders in behavioral health.
How successful has the program been? Assessments of our program have shown that survivors who live at a Courage House experience a significant reduction of trauma symptoms at the 12- to 18-month mark, though these reductions are even greater at the 24- to 36-month mark. Additionally, when survivors arrive at Courage House, their education is drastically suffering—the average GPA upon arrival is a 1.5. Within 18 to 24 months, we see those GPAs skyrocket to an average of 3.2. Based on data maintained throughout case management of former residents, 85% of girls who resided at a Courage House for 12 or more months did not return to a trafficker or a trafficking situation. These results are unprecedented in the US with this minor population.
Where is the program utilized? Currently, the Courage House program is utilized in Tanzania across two minor campuses, one in Moshi and one in Dar es Salaam. We have also expanded our Courage House program to serve survivors over 18 who have transitioned from our home for minors to a secondary home to support their transition into independent living. We also operated a home for minors in Northern California between 2011 and 2016 where we served close to 50 residents within that timeframe. These survivors continue to receive case management services when requested. In 2017, the minor home transitioned to an over-18 program until 2020. We have designed the Courage House program to be available for prototyping, meaning the program could be duplicated in any location needing these specialized services for minor victims, with oversight and quality control provided by our staff. Currently, Courage Worldwide is working with community leaders in three East African countries along with leaders from numerous cities in the US looking to coordinate the creation of a Courage House in their area!
How do you coordinate with other similar organizations, to avoid duplicating services? The very first step we take before considering a location for a Courage House is determining if there are any trauma-focused behavioral health services for specifically the minor population in the community. If there are none, we begin researching the laws and licensing requirements in the state and/or county to ensure there is a license that fits our long-term program. We know that no one organization alone can provide the necessary care these children need. It is of the upmost importance to us, therefore, to build community relationships and partnerships with similarly-designed organizations to complement and collaborate on services.
How can I get involved with Courage Worldwide and the work you do? There are many ways to join us in working with child survivors of trafficking. Donate! One of the simplest ways to support our work is to join us as a financial partner. Our online donation form makes it easy to set up a recurring gift so you can set it and forget it. We rely on recurring donations like yours to maintain the stability of our high-quality services. Share the word! We’re not all in a position to financially give, but we are all in a position to talk with our friends about the reality of trafficking in our area and those (like us!) who are make an effort to do something about it. Encouraging your family and friends to follow us on social media and keep up to date with our work goes a long way. Volunteer! As our programs expand across multiple locations, the opportunity for volunteering continues to expand. If you’re interested in learning more about what these opportunities could mean for you, contact us at info@courageworldwide.org. Please note that volunteer opportunities are available based on locations where there is an operational Courage House.
How do I make a donation? To donate online, visit our easy-to-use online form! You can create an account to manage your recurring donation easily. If you’d prefer to mail a check, checks can be sent to 3495 Lakeside Dr. #88, Reno, NV 89509. If your organization or foundation is interested in making a wire transfer, please contact us at info@courageworldwide.org. Legacy gifts are another way to support our work. This category of giving is often provided through wills and trusts, life insurance contributions, real estate, or beneficiary designations on accounts such as IRAs or other retirement funds. For more information about this type of giving, please email us at info@courageworldwide.org.
Where does the money go when I donate to your organization? Donations go directly to our programs: resources, housing, and mental health services for child survivors of sex trafficking. We prioritize keeping our overhead percentage below 10% to ensure your gift goes directly toward the healing and future of the young residents at Courage Houses around the world. While our organization cannot run without our crucial administrative and executive staff, your gift, directly or indirectly, will support survivors receiving the therapeutic care they need to chase their dreams and experience hope and healing.
How does Courage Worldwide honor donor intent? The largest percentage of our donors encourage us to use their gifts where needed and approved by the Courage Worldwide Board of Directors. If, however, a gift is designated for a specific purpose, such as the expansion of a Courage House in a particular location, those funds are held in escrow until they can be used for that designated purpose. Should the project be canceled for any reason, we offer the return of the gift to the donor or the option of utilizing the funds for an alternative project.
Will I receive a tax statement for my donation(s)? If you donate via our online platform, you will receive confirmation of your gift immediately via email. When mailing a check, confirmation can often be delayed from the time you put your check in the mail to the time it can be entered into our system; we aim to provide confirmation that your check has been received as promptly as possible. We send out annual tax statements every year in January for the previous calendar year. All non-profits are required to have these tax statements in the mail by January 31 each year.
Where can I find your financial documents? We include links to our most recent 990 documents on our Financial Reports page of our website in an effort to provide financial transparency to the public. These 990 statements are required annually by the IRS to detail income and expenditures for non-profit organizations. To find any older 990s not made available on our website, the IRS website also provides the option for any member of the public to search for any non-profit organization’s filed 990 statements here.
Why was the Courage House program closed in Northern California? We have always been transparent with our community about the closure of Courage House NorCal. We made the tough decision to close the residential home in 2016 for minors after running a successful program there for 5 years. Some regulatory hurdles and operational challenges arose affecting our ability to provide the highest level of care and support to our residents. We could not comply with the new regulations without compromising the safety of the survivors in our care and the quality of our program. In short, the State changed its requirements for residential programs for minor victims of trafficking after having approved the program we were running. To comply with state changes, the board decided to shift our focus to serving adult women at this location rather than minors. Our program for adult survivors continued through 2020 when the pandemic forced our closure due to difficulty in maintaining appropriate staff ratios. Our commitment to fighting human trafficking and supporting survivors is unwavering. We are so lucky to have understanding donors who have continued their support as we navigated these changes.
There are some stories in the media saying you got paid too much, fired people indiscriminately, and have no experience running a home. How do you respond? We don't deny having had challenges, but these stories are not true. The State did not shut us down and we stand by what we have accomplished. The Courage House program was developed after deep research with medical, law enforcement, and mental health communities. The program contains proven methods to recover from physical and mental challenges brought on by sexual trauma and system neglect. More importantly, it helps girls advance in their schooling, embrace their chosen form of spirituality, and build a strong sense of self worth through a homelike environment and through therapy.
Will Courage Worldwide be opening a home in the United States again? Yes! We are working in Northern Nevada to open a home for minor victims of trafficking. Our local county and state officials have been working with us eagerly to progress toward obtaining the correct licensing (ensuring we can operate a long-term program) and ensuring our program aligns with any state-specific laws regarding the care of children. We have launched a major gift campaign to purchase an identified property for the home.
Why does Courage Worldwide operate Courage House programs in Tanzania? While our connection with Tanzania may be ultimately serendipitous in the way our founder established a bond and connection with the country, our ongoing services provided to child survivors in Tanzania is anything but! What was an initial passion and interest has transformed into an active and substantial sphere of influence. In Tanzania, we are known for being one of the best programs offering residential and therapeutic care for this population throughout the country.
Is there anything unique about the Courage House program in Tanzania? The foundation of the Courage House program is the same across any location where a Courage House may exist. Any substantial differences, however, can be found in ensuring our program is culturally relevant within its location. While we dream of having a Courage House in countries all around the world, it would be negligent of us to think that a Courage House program should exist purely as a one-size-fits-all. Every culture has its unique and important values, which we aim to reflect in our program where we are able.
I want to visit the Courage House programs in Tanzania—how can I partner with your programs in East Africa? We host volunteer teams a few times per year to our programs in Tanzania. These groups are often formed from church communities or universities. If you’re interested in learning more about putting together a team to visit Tanzania, contact us at info@courageworldwide.org.