Human trafficking is a growing scourge on society that affects communities across the entire globe. Human trafficking encompasses sex trafficking and labor trafficking. Recent statistics from 2017 find that nearly 5 million people are trafficked yearly worldwide for forced sexual exploitation. Woman and girls are disproportionately affected by human trafficking, accounting for 71% of all victims. 3.8 million adults and 1 million children are trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation. The average age of a victim when they are forced into sex trafficking is 14 years old. They spend an average of 154 days in the world of sex trafficking prior to rescue or recovery. This is not just a problem for underdeveloped or third world countries, but affects our own state and neighborhoods. Research by the ASU Office of Sex Trafficking Intervention Research suggests sex trafficking in Arizona has increased significantly over the past 15 years. This increase may be from both a true growth in number of victims as well as increased awareness and law enforcement. Statistics from ASU reveal that from 2015 and 2016, there were over 2300 sex trafficking victims in Arizona, including 560 minors. The Rotary Club of Verrado recognizes the devastation this social epidemic produces in our own community. Our Club received a District 5495 grant in the 2020-2021 grant cycle to develop an anti-child sex trafficking education and awareness program. This program included involvement of numerous Club members and extensive community involvement. We found significant community support and recruited several local partners in the areas of law enforcement, education, hospitality, education and victim rescue. One of those partners was the Dream Center of Phoenix. The Dream Center of Phoenix is a nonprofit residential recovery facility founded in 2002 whose mission is to serve the victims of sex trafficking in our community. It is primarily driven by volunteers and funded by individual financial and in kind donations. It has assisted the recovery of over 900 survivors of sex trafficking since 2008. They have 41 beds dedicated to girls and young woman. Because of the increasing number of victims of sex trafficking, the facility has suffered increased wear and tear. It is vitally important to provide a clean and well appointed environment to facilitate recovery. The Rotary Club of Verrado wishes to contribute to the successful recovery of these survivors by providing an optimal environment during their stay at the the Dream Center. Aided by outside contributions to the Verrado Rotary Foundation in 2020-2021, our Club initiated residential room renovations. A Dream Center staff member was quoted to say: "Our old rooms look too much like where our trafficked kids were victimized. Giving them a safe, personal, and elegant environment to heal is critical to raising their standards and expectations for their future." This grant will provide needed renovation supplies, that may include, but not limited to paint, wall paper, floor coverings, bedding, and furniture. Club members will be involved with design, planning and supervision of renovations. It is anticipated that renovations encompassed by this grant will be completed by April 30, 2022. Proposed Budget: Paint- $500, Wall paper--$500, Floor Coverings--$1000, Bedding--$500, and Furniture--$1500.
Addendum to Project Description (added after the project was signed)
This proposed renovation for the Phoenix Dream Center will be associated with previous work done by Dale Ross earlier this year. The Rotary Club of Verrado was involved with design and renovations on rooms which underwent demolition under the planning of Dale Ross. Attached are pictures of the ribbon cutting done at the Dream Center earlier this year. Also attached are "before" and "after" pictures of renovations accomplished with funds received by the Rotary Club of Verrado as part of the District 5495 grant. The current proposal will make further renovations possible.
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