Our Story
Founder and Executive Director, Julie Crain, learned about the exploitation of women in India at a conference in 2008. This issue struck her so deeply that she felt called to become a missionary. She began doing mission work in 2009. Over the years, two of her trips specifically focused on serving women in after care programs for women who have escaped human trafficking in Cambodia and India. As the reality of human trafficking being an issue that happens in the United States sunk in, Julie realized that she was being called to open a long-term restorative care program for women in her own country. In 2017, Julie and her husband Jim started the process of starting a non-profit organization. It was after going through the Harriet Tubman Visitor Center that Julie and Jim agreed that the safe house should be named "Harriett's House" after the conductor of The Underground Railroad, Harriet Tubman. Harriet was a strong woman of God who looked to God for guidance and direction as she worked to set slaves free. In the same way, we are looking to God to guide and direct us as we fight to set captives free from modern day slavery, human trafficking. Won't you join us in being a carrier of light to those who are living in darkness?
Help Our Cause
Invest in the lives of women to give them hope and a future.
Please send donations to:
Harriett's House
P.O. Box 586
Cambridge, MD 21613
Drop In CENTER
Drop in centers will be established in communities to make resources available for women. These locations will be open during the day to provide resources, referrals, computer access, food, drinks, toiletries, clothes and classes such as job interview and resume writing techniques, budgeting, parenting, etc. The drop in location will be available to all women with screening for human trafficking. Case management will be provided for women who have been trafficked or sexually exploited.
Outreach
Outreach teams will be established and trained to go into communities where prostitution is seen. The goal is to establish relationships with sex workers, without judgement, to show love and acceptance and to let them know the resources that are available. We will help them to see a way out of the life and give them support to leave the life.
Residential CAre
We do not currently have a residential program. Our goal is to have 3 phases of care.
Immediate Care - Respite
The respite house will be a 24-hour immediate care home for those in need of emergency shelter and stabilization. Women will receive an assessment and guidance for next steps in care. She will be given choices in recovery, should this be the option she chooses.
Length of care will be an average of 14 days.
Long-Term Care - Redemption
Our goal is to establish a safe house that will provide long term housing for those escaping sex trafficking or sexual exploitation. Women will receive comprehensive care emotionally, spiritually, and educationally. Resources will be made available for residents to get their GED, continuing education, learn new skills, and become self sufficient without returning to the life they are leaving.
Transportation will be provided for residents to go to appointments, job interviews, etc. Skills such as money management, social skills, budgeting, cooking, cleaning, gardening, parenting, self care, etc. will be taught in the home. The goal is to gradually help the residents to get out on their own and establish a home for themselves and their children, as applicable. The approach will be trauma informed care with an emphasis on individual and group therapy as well as art therapy to promote healing.
Length of care - up to 2 years
Transitional Care - Renewal
We will offer graduates of our long-term program the opportunity to further her independence without losing her support system. Each new graduate will receive support as she gets employment or continues her education. She will be assisted with a safe place to live and help with transportation until she is ready to stand on her own.
Length of care - up to 1 year.
Core Values
- Harriett's House is a Christian Organization with Biblical standards. We believe people can experience healing and transformation through the power of the Holy Spirit and an intimate relationship with God which is available through Jesus. Our goal is to love like Jesus and to share His love with those we come in contact with. We will not push our beliefs on those that we serve but will act in accordance with our beliefs to accept others as they are, where they are.
- We follow the "Golden Rule" and the principle of treating others as we want to be treated.
- We believe every man and woman is created equal. Every person deserves dignity and to be treated with respect.
- We will not discriminate against anyone based on age, race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity/nationality, or religion. We will provide equal services to all people. The scope of our services is specific to women and we will not be able to provide services for men at our drop-in center or safe house.
- We will act with integrity and honesty in all our services and in the way the organization is run.
- Confidentiality is a priority. Any information shared with our staff and volunteers will remain confidential. We are mandated to report any issues that are shared with us that involve abuse or neglect of a child, elderly, or vulnerable person, if someone states that they want to cause harm to themselves or others.