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New Mexico Dream Center outlines youth trafficking hotspots and services, including an 8‑bed shelter
Summary
The New Mexico Dream Center told the LGCC it focuses on youth aged 14–21 affected by trafficking and homelessness, operating a downtown drop-in center, an eight‑bed shelter (Eliza Jane House), aftercare services and weekly street outreach; it said funding is mixed (city, county, federal, private).
The New Mexico Dream Center presented a high‑level overview of youth human trafficking in the state and described the center’s services to the Local Government Coordinating Commission.
Birga Alden, the center’s chief communications officer, described three common trafficking pathways — grooming/romantic relationships, familial trafficking and gang involvement — and identified hotspots where the national trafficking hotline shows more calls, including the Greater Albuquerque area and event‑driven spikes around the State Fair, Balloon Fiesta and Gathering of Nations. "We opened up in 2016," Alden said, noting nearly a decade of service.
The center outlined services targeted at 14‑ to 21‑year‑olds: a drop‑in center near Central Avenue offering food, showers, laundry and a safe place; Eliza Jane House, an eight‑bed shelter for identified survivors; a leased‑apartment aftercare program with intensive case management; and Friday night street outreach teams that seek out vulnerable youth and invite them to services.
Alden said the Dream Center works closely with law enforcement (BCSO and APD), Albuquerque Community Safety and health providers and relies on multiple funding streams: federal grants, city funds, private donations and a recently signed county contract. Commissioners asked about board composition and training for first responders; the center said it could supply a board list on request and provides trainings on request to agencies and clinics.
Next steps: commissioners and the Dream Center discussed possible trainings for law‑enforcement and health partners and opportunities for referral and coordination as the county and city expand services for vulnerable youth.
