Ground Up Ministries

What Ground Up Ministries does

Ground Up Ministries (legally "From The Ground Up Ministries Inc.") is a Florida-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2016 by Jim and Dawn Hamm, operating a state-licensed Child Caring Agency (CCA) Safe House for teenage girls aged 10–17 who are survivors of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC). The organization delivers a highly structured, faith-based residential program centered on a 6-phase therapeutic recovery model that progresses residents from crisis stabilization through identity formation and independent-living preparation. Clinical components include trauma-informed care frameworks, EMDR therapy, de-escalation techniques, specialized education (HS Diploma, GED, college prep), vocational training, and spiritual mentorship, all delivered within a 24/7 high-supervision secure facility in Cape Coral, Florida.

The organization holds provider contracts with every Community-Based Care lead agency across all 67 Florida counties, making state-vetted CBC agencies the exclusive referral channel for placements. It also coordinates directly with statewide law enforcement task forces (Operations Home for the Holidays, Northern Lights, Tiger Eye) to receive survivors immediately post-rescue. Current capacity is three residents simultaneously within a single Group Home (operational since 2022), and the organization has launched an $800,000 capital campaign in 2026 to build a new safe house and expand its specialized trauma team — addressing a documented statewide shortage of only 30 specialized CSEC beds.

Ground Up Ministries generates no fee-based revenue; its funding comes from a mix of CBC placement contracts, individual donations (online, text-to-give "Not4Sale" to 44834, checks), in-kind Amazon wish list gifts, planned giving vehicles (DAFs, stock, real estate, estate plans), peer-to-peer fundraisers, church and community partnerships, and capital campaign contributions. With 1–10 employees and no commercial technology platform, it operates as a direct-service residential provider rather than a software or scalable services business, with all marketing conducted through community outreach, social media, events, and faith-based networks.

Name

Ground Up Ministries

Legal name

From The Ground Up Ministries Inc.

Website

https://groundupministries.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ground Up Ministries is a Florida-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates a state-licensed safe house providing faith-based, trauma-informed residential care for teenage girls aged 10–17 who are survivors of commercial sexual exploitation, serving all 67 Florida counties through Community-Based Care agency contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trafficking Survivor Residential Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Protection, Child Protection & Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Response (BPAGAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Safeguarding) (BPADAHAF), Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG)

Keywords

• Trafficking survivor services
• Residential trauma care
• Youth safe housing
• CSEC recovery programs
• Nonprofit child welfare

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Coral

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals via the website (single or recurring donations), text-to-give (text 'Not4Sale' to 44834), Amazon wish list item gifting, and mailed checks. The organization is a registered 501(c)(3) with EIN 81-3766503.
2. CBC Lead Agency Placement Contracts: Revenue from state-funded placement contracts with Community-Based Care (CBC) lead agencies across all 67 Florida counties. These contracts fund the safe house placement of CSEC survivors through state child welfare channels.
3. Capital Campaign Contributions: A $800,000 capital campaign soliciting donations to fund a new safe house and expand the specialized trauma team. The campaign targets businesses, churches, and community groups alongside individual donors.
4. Planned Giving & Estate Vehicles: Donor Advised Funds (DAF), stock and mutual fund donations, real estate gifts, life insurance policy donations, irrevocable estate plans, charitable trusts, and gifts in kind (automobiles, boats, clothing, jewelry, art, medical supplies).
5. Amazon Wish List Donations: In-kind donations of physical goods including Welcome Kits for new residents (clothing, plush bedding, journals, therapy tools, personal care items), and ongoing safe house operation supplies via Amazon registries.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ground Up Ministries operates a state-licensed Child Caring Agency (CCA) Safe House providing secure 24/7 residential care for teenage girls aged 10–17 who are survivors of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) in Florida. The program combines intensive clinical trauma therapy (including EMDR), educational advancement, vocational training, and spiritual mentorship within a structured six-phase recovery model. All services are provided free of charge to residents and funded through individual donations, state CBC contracts, planned giving, and capital campaigns.

Product overview

Ground Up Ministries operates a single, integrated residential program centered on rescuing, redeeming, and restoring teenage CSEC survivors aged 10-17 in Florida. The organization functions as a state-licensed Child Caring Agency (CCA) Safe House providing trauma-informed therapeutic care within a faith-based framework. Core offerings include the 6-Phase Therapeutic Program (combining clinical therapy, educational advancement, vocational training, and spiritual healing), community education and advocacy services, and donation/fundraising mechanisms to support operations. The organization partners with all 67 Florida Community-Based Care lead agencies for referrals but does not operate a technology product platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 6-Phase Therapeutic Recovery Program (Residential CSEC Safe House) Integrated residential program guiding CSEC survivors aged 10–17 through six structured phases: Orientation & Adjustment, Building Trust, Developing Self-Awareness, Practicing Change, Embracing Identity, and Transition Preparation. Combines trauma-informed care, EMDR therapy, de-escalation protocols, life-skills training, education (HS Diploma, GED, college prep), vocational mentorship, and spiritual healing within a secure 24/7 supervised safe house in Cape Coral, Florida.
• Community Education & Survivor Advocacy Training and awareness services for churches, civic organizations, schools, parents, and local businesses on recognizing human trafficking indicators, digital grooming signs, and protective advocacy for at-risk youth. Includes youth mentorship program design and digital safety awareness training for families.

Quantifiable outcome

• 225 children rescued and served through statewide task force operations in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Children's Home NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChildren's Home Network is one of the Community-Based Care (CBC) lead agencies in Florida. Ground Up Ministries holds provider contracts with this organization for the referral and placement of CSEC survivors into specialized safe house care. The partnership is a formal, state-contracted arrangement that forms part of Ground Up Ministries' statewide referral network across all 67 Florida counties.
• NWF Health (Northwest Florida Health)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNWF Health is a CBC lead agency in Florida. Ground Up Ministries holds a provider contract with NWF Health for the referral and placement of CSEC survivors. This partnership is part of the organization's statewide network of CBC contracts enabling placements from all 67 Florida counties.
• Partnership for Strong Families (PFSF)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for Strong Families is a CBC lead agency in Florida. Ground Up Ministries holds a provider contract with PFSF for CSEC survivor referrals and placement services. This partnership enables the organization to serve survivors from the agency's service area within Florida's child welfare system.
• Family Support ServicescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFamily Support Services is a CBC lead agency in Florida. Ground Up Ministries holds a provider contract with this organization for the referral and placement of CSEC survivors into its specialized safe house program.
• Heartland for ChildrencoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHeartland for Children is a CBC lead agency in Florida. Ground Up Ministries holds a provider contract with Heartland for Children for CSEC survivor referral and placement. This is part of the organization's integrated statewide network of CBC partnerships.
• Kids CentralcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKids Central is a CBC lead agency serving portions of Florida. Ground Up Ministries holds a provider contract with Kids Central for the referral and placement of CSEC survivors, forming part of its statewide coverage across all 67 counties.
• FSSC6 (Family Support Services Council of Central Florida)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFSSC6 is a CBC lead agency in Central Florida. Ground Up Ministries holds a provider contract with FSSC6 for CSEC survivor referrals and placement services, integrating with the organization's statewide CBC network.
• Embrace FamiliescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEmbrace Families is a CBC lead agency in Florida. Ground Up Ministries holds a provider contract with Embrace Families for CSEC survivor referral and placement into its specialized safe house program.
• Children's Network of FloridacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChildren's Network of Florida is a statewide association of CBC lead agencies. Ground Up Ministries holds provider contracts with member agencies and is recognized as a premier placement partner within this network for CSEC survivor care.
• ChildNetcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChildNet is a CBC lead agency in Florida. Ground Up Ministries holds a provider contract with ChildNet for the referral and placement of CSEC survivors into its safe house. This partnership is part of the organization's coverage across all 67 Florida counties.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Selah Freedom: Selah Freedom is a Florida- and nationally-focused anti-trafficking organization that runs residential and outreach programs for survivors of sex trafficking, including CSEC. It directly overlaps Ground Up Ministries on geography (Florida), target population (CSEC survivors), and service model (specialized residential care with clinical therapy).
• Kristi House: Kristi House is a Miami-based nonprofit providing trauma-informed therapy, forensic interviewing, and advocacy for child sexual abuse and trafficking survivors in Florida. It is directly comparable as a Florida child-welfare-embedded provider serving CSEC and at-risk youth through state-referred clinical and residential pathways.

Broad incumbents

• PACE Center for Girls: PACE Center for Girls is a Florida statewide nonprofit providing academic, counseling, and life-skills programming for at-risk girls. It is a broader incumbent serving a wider at-risk-youth population through state contracts — comparable as a Florida-licensed, state-funded girls' services nonprofit but not specialized in CSEC residential care.
• Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health: Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health is a large national nonprofit operating residential and community-based behavioral health programs for at-risk youth, including trafficking survivors. Comparable as a licensed residential provider serving Florida's child welfare system through state contracts, but operates a much broader behavioral health portfolio beyond CSEC specialization.
• Camillus House: Camillus House is a large Miami-based nonprofit providing shelter, behavioral health, and social services for vulnerable populations including human trafficking survivors. Comparable as a Florida-based nonprofit providing residential and clinical services to exploited and at-risk individuals, but operates at a much larger scale across multiple service lines.
• Children's Home Society of Florida: Children's Home Society of Florida is one of the state's largest child welfare nonprofits, providing adoption, foster care, and residential services statewide under contract with Florida's CBC lead agencies. Comparable as a Florida child-welfare state-contracted nonprofit serving vulnerable children, though far larger and broader in scope than the specialized CSEC focus of Ground Up Ministries.

Others

• National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC): NCMEC is the national nonprofit operating a 24/7 hotline, recovery services, and policy advocacy for missing and exploited children, including CSEC survivors. It is thematically adjacent as a leading anti-trafficking infrastructure organization but does not provide direct residential care comparable to Ground Up Ministries.
• Polaris Project: Polaris Project operates the National Human Trafficking Hotline and runs anti-trafficking policy and programs nationally. Thematically aligned as a leading US anti-trafficking organization, but focuses on hotline operations, data, and policy rather than direct residential care.
• ECPAT-USA: ECPAT-USA is a national policy and advocacy organization combating the commercial sexual exploitation of children. Thematically comparable to Ground Up Ministries' child protection and CSEC focus, but operates at the advocacy and network level rather than as a direct residential provider.

Regional players

• Florida Coalition Against Human Trafficking (FCAHT): FCAHT is a Florida-based coalition of providers and advocates coordinating anti-trafficking response across the state. Comparable as a Florida-focused anti-trafficking coordinating body, but operates as an umbrella/advocacy organization rather than as a residential direct-service provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/groundupministries

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Ground Up Ministries