How it all started

CeCe’s Hope Center was founded in 2017 with the mission of bridging the gap in critical services for women, ages 18-24 who are survivors of sex trafficking and require services and support on their road to recovery. To maximize success and make the most efficient use of scarce resources, CeCe’s Hope Center is committed to partnering and collaborating with community stakeholders to meet the needs of the population served.

Upon turning 18, a young woman who has been fully or partially cared for by publicly funded services is often left without continuity and are ill equipped to handle independence.  She’s an adult! She’s on her own. Right? Was your daughter on her own the day she turned 18?  Were you?  Even if she/you were, chances are you had a responsible adult who provided guidance and positive influence and likely, they were available after you turned 18 to reach out to for help or advice. 

Founders with a vision

As former CEO of StreetLightUSA, Lea Benson, along with former Chandler Arizona Vice-Mayor Rene Lopez of Chandler, noticed a problem where survivors transitioning out of the foster care system often struggled to support themselves and maintain a positive path without the services they were entitled to as minors. Lea Benson has been working with victims hands-on for over a decade.

Case management and referrals remain the cornerstone of services for Cece’s Hope Center program participants. Survivors, community partners, law enforcement, victim specialists, and the public refer participants to Cece’s Hope Center.

Who we help

CeCe’s Hope Center serves a particularity vulnerable population that intersects the issues of girls aging out of foster care, homelessness and sharing the commonality of being victims of a heinous crime. There is a constant cycle of youth 18-20 being “released” into the community, without adequate resources, support, or hope.

The need for help is increasing

The Department of Child Services does not report the number of youth who have been trafficked, but we know that those who have not yet been victimized are at high risk if they end up on the street, as they are very vulnerable to traffickers. The number of at-risk girls is increasing day by day due to the significant rise in homelessness since our inception. We are preparing ourselves for a significant increase in demand for our services, and we have already experienced long waiting lists for housing for our clients.