OUR Rescue will relocate its Salt Lake City headquarters to Minneapolis early next year, the anti-human-trafficking organization announced Monday.
The organization — which was founded in Salt Lake City in 2013 as Operation Underground Railroad and quietly rebranded as OUR Rescue earlier this year — said in a press release that the move is part of its efforts to expand to provide direct services to human trafficking survivors and provide more support for law enforcement.
“These heinous crimes against children are happening in every Minnesota county, giving our state the shameful distinction of having the third-highest rate of child sexual exploitation in the nation,” CEO Tammy Lee said.
Lee is the founder of Minnesota-based Xena Therapies and said the state is “one of the best places in the world to attack” the problem of human trafficking.
“The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are recognized for supporting a vibrant nonprofit sector, backed by a very generous philanthropic community,” she said. “Minnesota also has a strong existing ecosystem of nonprofits who share our mission. By working together, we can drive even greater impact in the fight against sex trafficking and child exploitation.”