JANUARY 21 • 2021 | 17

mental healthcare and trauma
therapy, vocational skills train-
ing and job placement, financial
education, peer support and
much more.
It’s “very much designed in a
woman’s needs and what they
want,
” Franklin said. “We have
people now who want to go to
culinary school, who are work-

ing outside of the house, who
purchase their own vehicles.
”
Sanctum House has part-
nerships with hospitals, social
workers and over 30 different
organizations that supplement
its services.
Since its beginnings in 2018,
Sanctum House has helped
more than 55 women through
its residential program with
24-hour care. All residents
are drug-free and are working
through appropriate 12-step
programs; many have found
jobs outside the house. Nineteen
have reunited with family mem-
bers, and six are attending col-
lege — including one who made
the dean’s list.
For Franklin, who grew
up attending Adat Shalom
Synagogue, the spirit of the
house is connected to her own
Jewish faith. She said she creat-
ed Sanctum House in the spirit
of tikkun olam, repairing the
world.
It’s “from the spirit of Judaism

that we take care of one anoth-
er,
” she said. “
And the goal is to
heal the world. I mean, that’s
what we do.
”

COVID CHALLENGES
Of course, the COVID-19 pan-
demic has impacted Sanctum
House over the past year.
Luckily, the house has stayed

COVID-19-free, but the tumult
has limited the growth of
women at the house in some
ways, Claire said — it’s much
harder to get out and start to
build a new life during a pan-
demic.
Even more than that,
COVID-19 has affected
Sanctum House’s ability to
spread awareness of human
trafficking. More than 20
speaking engagements for
people affiliated with Sanctum
House were canceled this year,
Franklin said.
Sanctum House has also
provided training to hundreds
of first responders and hospi-
tal employees on how to spot
human trafficking and react
appropriately when they see the
signs — that’s not possible in
the same way this year.
“You can’t get the word out,
”
Claire said. “
And that’s really
fundamental to fighting human
trafficking and saving people
from human traffickers.
”

The pandemic has pushed
trafficking itself further under-
ground. Lockdowns and quar-
antines have made it so women
in trafficking situations are
brought into public less often,
and more internet sales and
pornography have taken place,
Franklin said.
“Women are being trafficked

and abused and sexually assault-
ed, so we can’t forget,
” Franklin
said. “Everything is still going
on while COVID is going on.
”

CONTRIBUTORS SOUGHT
The virus has also cut down on
Sanctum House’s ability to raise
money, as its usual engagements
and fundraisers have been can-
celed. Franklin is still writing
grants and depends on sponsor-
ships, but now she’s launched a
three-phase, $3 million capital
campaign.
The organization is currently
trying to raise $1.4 million to
purchase its property and the
adjacent lot. This will allow it
to nearly triple the number of
women it can serve at a time,
from 12 up to 34, Franklin told
the JN.
Franklin is also hoping to
find around $600,000 to make
necessary improvements to its
campus and ensure funds for
operating expenses and salaries
for the trained professionals

who run the therapeutic pro-
grams. She’s then aiming to
raise an additional $1 million
for ongoing operations.
Sanctum House has already
received several large pledges
for the purchase of the building.
Now Franklin is hoping to find
“a few angels” who can help
Sanctum House make its goals

for sustaining funds.
“We’re in this capital cam-
paign for sustainability,
”
Franklin said. “If you don’t have
a program, you’ve got nothing
to give the women that they can
hang their hats on.
”
Despite the challenges of the
year, Franklin and the rest of
the staff and stakeholders at
Sanctum House remain com-
mitted to helping survivors and
raising awareness of human
trafficking.
“It may be a heinous crime,
and you don’t really want to
look at it,
” she said. “But there
are women that are being tor-
tured and abused. Once you’re
aware — once you know better
— you do better.
”
Above all, “we’re all entitled
to our civil rights and sanctum,
”
Franklin said.

January is National Slavery and Human

Trafficking Prevention Month. To learn

more about Sanctum House and its

capital campaign, visit www.sanctum-

house.org/about-sanctum-house/.

House members

watch TV.

Program Manager

Shannon Brandt of

Farmington Hills and

Executive Director

Karen Moore of

Dearborn play cards

with Katrise and

Jesa.