Hannah Parham has been working toward freedom for human trafficking survivors since the start of her social work career in 2019, according to a news release.
In her current role as supportive housing director at First Fruit Ministries, she works to ensure the quality, trauma-informed care of survivors at First Fruit Ministries, the release stated.
Parham oversees five supportive housing programs, two of which are dedicated to victims of human trafficking.
"Her desire to provide safe spaces for those in need has led to her most recent endeavor of opening The Guest House. The Guest House will be an emergency shelter for victims of sexual assault and human trafficking victims, opening July 1, 2022."
Parham also serves as the director of First Fruit Ministries initiative, the Collaborative Against Sex Trafficking (CAST), through which she strives to enhance the community’s response to human trafficking through collaboration and system mapping.
Previously, Parham worked in direct client services and coordination for the supportive housing programs at First Fruit Ministries.
"Her time in practice inspired her to move to a role where she could use her gifts to make change on a system level, working toward real solutions to the obstacles survivors face," according to the release. "Throughout her career, Hannah has always kept the client experience at the center. She finds value in keeping close proximity to clients to keep in touch with the reality of their needs. The authenticity of her relationships with her clients has made it possible to ask hard questions and then work toward creative solutions using the platform of CAST."
Parham is a Wilmington native who received her bachelor’s and master's degrees in social work from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Her training in the school of social work refined her approach to practice, incorporating clinical skills and core values of the profession such as service, social justice and integrity, the release stated.
According to the release, First Fruit Ministries is the oldest and largest nonprofit fighting human trafficking in Wilmington.
