NEWS!
What We Do
Our Mission At AJR
AJR was founded in 2020 by Arizona resident AJ Arias, when she began learning about human trafficking. She assembled our original founding board, and connected with co-founder and our Executive Director, Savannah Sanders, who has worked in the field of trafficking prevention for over a decade. Together, the team created a heart-centered vision and mission that prioritizes meeting survivors where they’re at.
In 2023, AJR received our first federal grant. Through initiatives like our grant-funded Fostering Resiliency programming (including REACH, Parent Pathways, VIBES, and TTA service), our survivor assistance FLEX Fund, and our First Fellowship, we are privileged to support youth and individuals who have experienced abuse and/or exploitation, as they navigate healing and growth on their terms. Our core belief is that healing happens in community, and building transformational relationships with youth, within families, and in our communities, is the path to change, and breaking generational cycles.
As we work toward our goal of funding and building The CORE Home and Applejack's Ranch, in AZ, we are focused on community partnerships, and creating change through compassion, wraparound services, and education. Our hope is that our eventual, permanent ranch will offer all of those same services in addition to crisis assistance, resources, organic experiences, and a safe and loving community. In the meantime, Applejack's Ranch is based out of our Cottonwood office and drop-in center, located off Mingus Ave, with a presence in Maricopa County and the Phoenix area as well, while providing focused services to the Verde Valley, and other rural communities throughout Arizona.
*If you or someone you know are in need of help, or curious to learn more about our organization please head to our services and resources page, or tap the button below for our contact info.
Learn how you can contribute to Applejack's Ranch and help us serve the greater Verde Valley community
Areas We Serve
Currently our outreach is within the Verde Valley (including Cottonwood, Camp Verde, Sedona, and surrounding towns, as well as Indigenous Communities), but are in the process of expanding to the more rural communities in Maricopa County such as Buckeye, Tonopah, and Apache Junction, and we are more than happy to provide referrals or resources for individuals outside those specific locations.
In the heart of rural areas, we see a strong sense of community and the incredibly unique opportunity to address the core issues of trafficking, such as cyclical poverty, generational abuse, and sexual abuse.
We believe rural communities equipped with real information and relevant tools to be able to address these issues can have a powerful impact on both the surrounding community and the greater population.
-Applejack's Ranch
