JACKSON — Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch announced Tuesday the distribution of nearly $1.5 million to nine organizations serving human trafficking victims across the state, bringing the total awarded from a dedicated state fund to $11 million since its creation in 2020.
The grants come from the Victims of Human Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation Fund, which the Legislature established in 2020 to support direct service providers working with trafficking victims.
The largest award, $441,507, went to the Center for Violence Prevention to expand support services statewide through its Tower residential program and a Rapid Response Team of advocates. The Domestic Abuse Family Shelter received $283,134 to serve victims across an 11-county area, and the Gulf Coast Center for Nonviolence received $241,219 for holistic services to individuals and families affected by trafficking.
Southern Christian Services received $239,215 to continue operating what the attorney general’s office described as Mississippi’s only safe home exclusively for adolescent trafficking survivors, where young people can receive therapeutic services for up to two years.
The Mississippi Coalition Against Human Trafficking received $161,608 for its Independent Living Assistance Program, which connects survivors with mentoring, financial planning, and case management for up to 18 months. Easterseals received $51,236 for education and awareness efforts in Lee and Pontotoc counties, and the Southwest Mississippi Children’s Advocacy Center received $38,502 for mental health therapy services.
Smaller awards went to Sunnybrook Children’s Home, which received $7,198, and Hope Community Collective, which received $3,000 for a bilingual family support advocate.
The funding was delayed after Gov. Tate Reeves vetoed a $2.5 million appropriation during a 2025 special legislative session. The Legislature approved $1.5 million during the 2026 regular session, allowing the fund committee to complete partial awards it had announced in December.
The fund is financed through court assessments from certain criminal convictions, donations, and legislative appropriations.
