St. Jude's Ranch for Children, a community of healing and hope, with the help of its construction team — Grand Canyon Development Partners, EV&A Architects, Taney Engineering, and The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company — will break ground on its Healing Center on Oct. 25, 2022, for children who are victims of sex trafficking. 

Unlike any other nationwide, this first-of-its-kind center will build on the 56-year legacy of the charity by providing safe therapeutic homes and a specialized nurturing recovery program for children who have been forced or manipulated into having sex for money. The Healing Center is unique — from its ground-up residences, holistic treatment options, survivor advocates, trauma-sensitive design, and on-site public school dedicated specifically to this population.

"Child sex trafficking has devastating consequences for its victims, including long-lasting physical and psychological trauma, disease, and even death," said St. Jude's Ranch for Children Chief Executive Officer Dr. Christina Vela. "Through the creation of the Healing Center on our flagship campus in Boulder City, Nevada, we will be able to address every facet of the recovery process while providing a safe space in which they can heal."

St. Jude's Ranch for Children's Healing Center will sit on 10 acres of land, with a series of individual therapeutic homes that will mimic a neighborhood with walking paths and landscaping designed to foster a sense of safety. Therapy offices and outside areas will encourage transformation through connection to nature while a multi-purpose building will include an on-site school, meeting space, library, computer lab, and a yoga and meditation room. 

The Healing Center masterplan design and construction costs are estimated at $25 million. The charity has received donations and pledges from Clark County, Caesars Entertainment, MGM Resorts, The Cosmopolitan, Aristocrat Gaming, Nevada Elks, Justice Miriam Shearing, and additional individual donors. With more than half of the funds raised, the charity is continuing to pursue funding and encourages donations to help these young victims. Clark County School District has also approved $5 million to build the school on the Healing Center campus. 

Construction is expected to be completed by Spring of 2024 and the center is expected to be open for residents by Summer 2024.  

ABOUT ST. JUDE'S RANCH FOR CHILDREN

For more than 56 years, St. Jude's Ranch for Children has been a community of healing and hope. The 501(c)(3) non-profit organization helps young people, ages 0-25, who have been abused, neglected, homeless and/or exploited, by providing safety, stability, and healing in a caring environment. For more information, visit stjudesranch.org or get social @StJudesRanch for Facebook and Twitter or stjudesranchforchildren on Instagram.