What Awaken does

Awaken is a faith-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in May 2011 by Melissa Holland and Jen Robinson in Reno, Nevada, focused on eradicating commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking in Northern Nevada. The organization operates a portfolio of direct-service programs organized under a three-pillar framework: Prevention (youth and community education), Restoration (housing, therapy, case management, and education for survivors), and City Transformation (policy advocacy and community awareness campaigns). Core service lines include the Awaken Center drop-in facility at 433 Spokane Street, the Awaken Transitional House (12–24 months rent-free housing, opened January 2019), the Awaken Education Center for trafficking-affected middle and high school youth (launched Fall 2020), and outreach programs that conduct jail, street, and online engagement.

The organization has no proprietary technology product. Its underlying "platform" is a coordinated network of human-delivered services — case management, therapy, mentorship, education support, employment assistance, and pro-bono professional services — backed by a mobilized volunteer and donor base. Reach metrics indicate cumulative service to more than 700 women and children over ten years (May 2021) and 1,268 outreach contacts in 2022 alone (368 jail, 800 online, 100 street). The organization's geographic footprint is concentrated in the Reno/Sparks/Carson area of Northern Nevada; a Wisconsin expansion launched around 2020 was subsequently spun off in 2023 as the independent HER Alliance.

Awaken's revenue model is donations-driven as a registered 501(c)(3) (Tax ID 38-3843380). Income sources include individual donations (online giving), an annual fundraising banquet (the 2019 event raised over $340,000), and merchandise sales through an online store. Services to beneficiaries are provided at no cost. The organization has no disclosed funding rounds from institutional investors, no parent company, and no PE/VC ownership; it is governed independently by its board and co-founder leadership. Named partners include the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, Thorn, the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, Exodus Cry, Valiant Hearts, World Without Exploitation, Rights4Girls, and a 55-survivor advocacy coalition that has testified before Washington, D.C. City Council.

Name

Awaken

Legal name

Awaken INC

Website

https://awakenjustice.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Awaken is a faith-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Reno, Nevada providing housing, education, therapy, case management, and outreach services to survivors of sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation in Northern Nevada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Human Trafficking Survivor Services

NAICS

Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities (623220)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

Keywords

• Anti-trafficking services
• Survivor support services
• Transitional housing programs
• Community prevention education
• Victim advocacy nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Reno

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (Tax ID: 38-3843380), Awaken relies on public donations. They host an annual banquet fundraiser and accept online donations through their website. The organization also sells merchandise through their online store.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Awaken is a faith-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free, comprehensive direct services to survivors of commercial sexual exploitation in northern Nevada. Its core offerings include drop-in basic-needs support, 12–24 month rent-free transitional housing, case management, therapy, mentorship, education assistance, employment support, youth education programs, and community outreach, all organized under a three-pillar framework of Prevention, Restoration, and City Transformation.

Product overview

Awaken is a faith-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization providing comprehensive services to individuals impacted by commercial sexual exploitation. The organization operates a platform of interconnected programs organized under three pillars: Prevention (education and awareness), Restoration (supportive services for survivors), and City Transformation (advocacy for policy change). Core service programs include the Drop-In Center, Transitional House (housing), Case Management, Day Program, and Outreach for adults, and the Education Center, After School Achievement, Summer Program, and Youth Advisory Board for youth. Services are provided through the Awaken Center at 433 Spokane Street in Reno, Nevada, with a transitional house opened in January 2019. The organization also operates a merchandise shop to generate fundraising support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Awaken Center (Drop-In Center)

Quantifiable outcome

• Reached more than 700 women and children in Northern Nevada over 10 years of operation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAwaken's Youth Advisory Board collaborates with NCJFCJ, where youth survivors with experience in the criminal justice system share their experiences to help influence training materials, laws, and best practices for family court decisions related to youth trafficking and sexual exploitation.
• ThornminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMentioned as an organization working to combat child sexual exploitation. Awaken supports Thorn's mission 'we won't stop until every child can just be a kid.'
• National Center on Sexual ExploitationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociated with the National Center on Sexual Exploitation in releasing a video featuring survivor Rebekah Charleston's federal lawsuit to end legal brothels after she was sex trafficked in two of them.
• Valiant HeartscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Valiant Hearts, Awaken, Exodus Cry, and World Without Exploitation to release a video denouncing Nevada's legal prostitution framework.
• Exodus CrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Exodus Cry as part of a coalition to raise awareness about harms of legal prostitution and sex trafficking in Nevada.
• World Without ExploitationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with World Without Exploitation as part of survivor-led advocacy coalition to end sexual exploitation.
• Rights4GirlsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferenced Rights4Girls research on racial disparities in trafficking and the abuse-to-prison pipeline affecting girls of color.
• 55 Nevada SurvivorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of 55 Nevada survivors of commercial sex trade unified to advocate against decriminalization of prostitution, speaking to Washington D.C. City Council.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• WestCare: National nonprofit providing behavioral health and social services including substance abuse treatment, with a significant Reno presence. Comparable to Awaken in serving vulnerable populations in the same region but at substantially larger scale with broader service scope.
• Thorn: Anti-trafficking organization that builds technology to combat child sexual exploitation. A recognized Awaken partner operating at significantly larger national scale with a tech-forward approach to the same problem space.
• National Center on Sexual Exploitation: Established national organization addressing sexual exploitation through advocacy, education, and coalition-building. Core Awaken partner with an overlapping mission of ending commercial sexual exploitation, but operating at a much larger national scale.
• World Without Exploitation: National survivor-led coalition working to end human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation through policy advocacy. Core Awaken partner with broader national reach and a complementary mission focus.
• Polaris Project: One of the largest U.S. anti-trafficking organizations, operating the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Comparable to Awaken on mission but materially larger in scale, scope, and government funding.

Regional players

• Safe Embrace: Reno-based nonprofit providing services to domestic violence and trafficking survivors. Local peer operating in Awaken's primary geographic market with overlapping client base and service model.

Direct peers

• HER Alliance: Formerly Awaken Wisconsin, HER Alliance spun off from Awaken in 2023 to become an independent anti-trafficking organization serving Wisconsin. Direct peer with the same mission, faith-based orientation, and survivor-services model, making it the closest comparable entity.
• Exodus Cry: Faith-based anti-trafficking organization focused on prevention, intervention, and restoration for sex trafficking survivors. Direct peer with a similar values-driven orientation and advocacy focus, and a core coalition partner of Awaken.
• Valiant Hearts: Anti-trafficking organization providing survivor services and policy advocacy. Coalition partner of Awaken in joint campaigns against commercial sexual exploitation, with comparable service and advocacy scope.

Emerging players

• Rights4Girls: Human rights organization focused on ending the abuse-to-prison pipeline for girls of color, including trafficking-related issues. Referenced research partner of Awaken with overlapping focus on trafficking victims and policy impact.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/awakeninc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Awaken