BETHLEHEM, Pa. — This is how government helping constituents is supposed to work.
Funding was running out, putting the future of Valley Youth House’s THRIVE Program at Sasso House in jeopardy. A U.S. Justice Department grant was ending.
A budget shortfall meant no further ability to continue helping female-identifying, sex trafficked people ages 14-21 recover from the trauma with housing, clothing, meals and counseling to rebuild their lives.
So in April, Valley Youth House Executive Director Tom Harrington picked up the phone and asked state Rep. Josh Siegel, D-22nd District, if he could help.
"It was going to be a huge loss. We couldn’t let that happen."State Rep. Josh Siegel
The result: On Wednesday, Siegel announced the securing $150,000 in state funding for THRIVE.
After getting the call, Siegel contacted the Lehigh Valley legislative delegation of reps. Mike Schlossberg, Peter Schweyer, Joanne McNeill, Steve Samuelson and Robert Freeman.
The legislators collectively climbed the state ladder, advocating to Rep. Jordan Harris of Philadelphia, the majority chairman of the House Health and Human Services appropriations committee.
“Tom said the budget shortfall was really going to threaten their ability to keep the program going for the year moving forward,” Siegel said at a news conference at Valley Youth House.
“He said without funding, they were basically going to have to consider cutting the services altogether. It was going to be a huge loss. We couldn’t let that happen.
"Our delegation needed to step up.”
'Just a terrible situation'
At Thursday's conference, Harrington thanked Siegel and the entire Lehigh Valley delegation for the funding, which the THRIVE program will get in November.
THRIVE stands for Transitional Housing, Resilience, Independence, Victorious and Empowerment.
"That’s what this program does. We’re very thankful for the funding.”Valley Youth House Executive Director Tom Harrington
“We keep seeing girls come to our doors who are in this situation,” Harrington said. “Sometimes, Children and Youth in Lehigh or Northampton County bring them to our attention, or the police bring them, or a school may contact us.
“It’s just a terrible situation these young ladies find themselves in. They need a safe place to go, with people who understand how to bring them support and counseling and guidance.
"That’s what this program does. We’re very thankful for the funding.”
The THRIVE Program also connects sex-trafficked victims with peer mentors, drug and alcohol treatment, psychiatric care, employment training and medical and dental care.
A six-bedroom safe house, the THRIVE home location remains confidential to ensure the safety of its clients.
'Programs like THRIVE are so vital'
Pennsylvania ranks ninth nationally in the number of new cases of human trafficking victims. From 2019-2023, 2,043 human trafficking victims were reported.
Siegel identified sex trafficking as a shady underground industry that has ensnared 49 million people globally. Seventy percent are female-identifying.
“This new funding will allow us to continue doing the work to help those people get back on their feet.”Valley Youth House Executive Director Tom Harrington
“That’s why programs like THRIVE are so vital, to help those being manipulated,” Siegel said. “They need to be helped to move past the pain of human trafficking.
“On the state level, we’ve done a lot to push back against sex trafficking. We want to make sure there is no shadow under which a sex trafficker can hide.”
The THRIVE program started three years ago in a tough neighborhood in Allentown as a home to support women who have been sex trafficked.
A year and half ago, and through the generosity of a local donor, a house was purchased in a better neighborhood.
The name of the house: Sasso House.
“It was named after the grandmother of the donor,” said Harrington. “This new funding will allow us to continue doing the work to help those people get back on their feet.”
