OUR Rescue will move 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 renamed OUR Rescue earlier this year — said in a news release that the move is part of its efforts to expand and provide direct services to survivors human trafficking and provide greater support to law enforcement.
“These heinous crimes against children are happening in every county in Minnesota, giving our state the shameful honor of… third highest rate child sexual exploitation in the country,” said CEO Tammy Lee.
Lee is the founder of Minnesota-based Xena Therapies and said the state is “one of the best places in the world to tackle the problem of human trafficking.”
“The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are recognized for supporting a vibrant nonprofit sector, supported by a very generous philanthropic community,” she said. “Minnesota also has a strong existing ecosystem of nonprofits that share our mission. By working together, we can have an even greater impact in the fight against sex trafficking and child exploitation.”
The move is expected to be completed in January, when the organization’s new headquarters opens at a yet-to-be-determined location in Minneapolis. OUR Rescue will continue to maintain a foothold in Utah, with the Salt Lake City office continuing to operate as a “Center of Excellence,” along with another office in the Dallas area.
“OUR Rescue’s expansion and headquarters relocation support the board and leadership team’s commitment to amplifying our impact by focusing on growth in areas where we can build the strongest partnerships,” said Sean Vassilaros, president of the OUR Rescue Board of Directors. “We are excited about the collaborations emerging in Minnesota and are confident that the transition will allow us to achieve our mission of protecting vulnerable children from sexual exploitation.”
Moving is the latest major change OUR Rescue has undergone since the retirement of founder and former CEO Tim Ballard in June 2023. Ballard has since accused of sexual misconduct in several lawsuits; he has denied wrongdoing And accused some of his accusers of defamation.
In one legal filing in response to one such case, OUR Rescue said it had severed ties with Ballard after the board “unanimously supported the conclusion that Mr. Ballard violated OUR policies,” and said one of the plaintiffs never reported alleged misconduct to the company reported.
Lee was appointed CEO in February, when the organization also announced a new board of directors to lead the nonprofit.