Courage Worldwide Launches Fundraising Campaign to Open Doors for Trafficked Youth in Northern Nevada

Media Contact:

Bridgette Menist

702-743-9396, bridgette@theabbiagency.com

Reno, NV — June 13, 2025 — Courage Worldwide has launched a fundraising and recruitment campaign to open Courage House, a restorative home dedicated exclusively to children who are victims of human trafficking in Northern Nevada. Nevada ranks second in the nation for human trafficking victims per capita, and with that comes a critical gap in residential services for minor survivors in the Northern Nevada region. The Courage House program is committed to transforming the lives of child trafficking survivors, providing them with the foundational support and skills necessary to build hopeful and empowered futures.

"We know that healing is possible, but requires more than just good intentions. It requires a safe home, trained professionals, and a supportive community willing to stand in the gap," said Jenny Williamson, founder and CEO of Courage Worldwide. "Courage House will be that place—a sanctuary of safety and restoration for children who have experienced unimaginable trauma. We're not just building a house; we're building hope, purpose, and a pathway to healing. These young survivors deserve more than rescue, they deserve a future. And that future begins with all of us coming together to make this home a reality."

Courage Worldwide's Courage House is being developed with the support of partnerships with local agencies, donors, and advocates. The organization is currently raising funds and recruiting trained staff and volunteers to make the program a reality and to have its doors open in January 2026. Thanks to a grant from Washoe County, Courage Worldwide has already purchased land for the future home of Courage House Northern Nevada.

Washoe County Commission Chair, Alexis Hill, has confirmed the need for such a program. "If Courage House were open today, we would already have minor survivors ready to be placed. That's how immediate and pressing the need is in our community. As a county, we are committed to addressing this crisis, and we are incredibly grateful for Courage Worldwide's leadership and vision in stepping up to meet this need head-on. Their experience and proven model give us confidence that this initiative will change lives in Northern Nevada."

Courage Worldwide will draw upon more than twenty years of experience and success from operations in Northern California and Tanzania to tailor and refine its therapeutic model to Northern Nevada specifically. Its comprehensive, trauma-informed approach has consistently yielded extraordinary outcomes elsewhere and will now uniquely address the region's particular challenges.

Outcomes from Courage Worldwide's services include 100 percent of survivors reporting reduced trauma symptoms, 78 percent have seen a decrease in severe mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and violence, and they have seen significant improvement in educational achievements and personal development.

Courage Worldwide is calling on Northern Nevada residents, business leaders, and organizations to join the effort. Contributions will support home renovations, trauma therapy, education, and 24/7 residential care for minor survivors.

To learn more about Courage Worldwide, join in the efforts to build the Courage House, or to make a donation, please visit www.courageworldwide.org.

---

About Courage Worldwide

Founded by Jenny Williamson in 2005, Courage Worldwide focuses on supporting women and girls who are victims of the human trafficking industry and commercial sexual exploitation. Through its Courage House program, the organization has spent 15 years of providing residential services to minor, female victims of sex trafficking in the United States and Tanzania, Africa. The organization delivers evidence-based treatment, with research documenting that its programs significantly reduce trauma symptoms, improve mental health stability, and promote long-term independence.

For more information about Courage Worldwide and its programs and plans for Northern Nevada, please visit www.courageworldwide.org.