St. Jude’s Ranch for Children set to expand services with new healing center

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - St. Jude’s Ranch for Children is set to build on its already 56-year legacy of building, healing and providing hope for children experiencing extreme trauma. On Tuesday, The team broke ground on The Healing Center in Boulder City.

The new addition will be a safe place with a nurturing environment for children who have been victims of sex trafficking. It’s something that has been in the works for 3 years according to Dr. Christina Vela, the CEO of St. Jude’s Ranch for Children.

“It’s a very special place of hope and healing for child victims of sex trafficking it’s really a beautiful residential community campus that will help increase joy healing and restoration for children that have experienced incredible amounts of trauma as a result of being a victim of sex trafficking,” said Vela.

A space that is spread across 10 acres in Boulder City, The Healing Center will walk through a person’s recovery process while providing a place of healing, schooling, and building confidence.

“This is a testament to what southern Nevada stands for which is to protect its children,” said Vela.

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in 2017 Nevada had an estimated 5,687 victims of child sex trafficking, that number could be much higher but is typically not reported.

Tuesday’s event while celebrating the new center also welcomes survivor Annika Huff, a survivor of sex trafficking at age 17, she shared her story.

“It was like I had a big red stamp across my forehead that said easy target when I met my trafficker it was a perfect storm of issues in my life, unfortunately, he had other plans for me I was trafficked within 24 hours and even though my trafficking was short, but it was really violent within 4 months I was on the brink of death,” said Huff.

She goes on to explain during her experience, she broke 29 bones, was internally bleeding, and lost fingers due to the lack of blood flow, but after surviving, she said she felt the need to call and help others.

“These children are going to be completely surrounded and supported by the services they have here and they’re not going to be navigating things along like I did,” said Huff.

The grand opening will be Spring of 2024.

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