Harvest House Ministry

Harvest House Ministry is a faith-based organization in southeast Texas founded in 2010 to respond to the heartbreaking epidemic of child sex trafficking. Harvest House Ministry is an organization that provides advocacy to children who are recovered from sex trafficking situations, who are flagged by law enforcement or other organizations as possible trafficking victims, or who are at a high risk of becoming trafficked. Harvest House provides numerous services to victims and to local agencies. Interventions allow families to safely and gently address a child who is suspected of being a victum of trafficking. Harvest House child advocates function as facilitators and mediators between the family and the child, as well as educating the child about what child sex trafficking looks like. Frequently, these children do not understand that is what is happening to them is trafficking, so this information is extremely important in helping the child self-identify as a victum, thereby making them more amenable to accepting assistance. Harvest House advocates also mentor child victims as a part of advocacy, closely following the child's journey from beginning to end. Advocates attend court hearings, arrange meetings with health care professionals and other services, communicate with the family and child regularly to ensure progress and healing, arrange fun activities for the child, and are available to address any issue that comes up along the way. Harvest House also works to coordinate local service providers, creating channels of communication that allow for quick and decisive actions when trafficked child is identified. These channels aid in rescue efforts and in attaining appropriate services for child victims.

Harvest House also provides an extensive public awareness campaign. Advocates and volunteers have provided training at a number of local organizations including law enforcement agencies, fire stations, hospitals, social service centers, churches, schools, and state representative staff. These trainings and public appearances provide attendees with information on sex trafficking, what it looks like, how to identify it, how to respond, and prevention strategies. Each appearance is tailored to the needs of attendees.