Selah is a word found throughout the Psalms.

While scholars debate its precise meaning, it is commonly associated with pausing, reflecting, or resting.

That idea beautifully captures our vision.

Many women who come through trafficking have spent years surviving.

Selah represents a place to pause, breathe, rebuild, and begin again.

No.

Selah is a residential community, not a program in the traditional sense.

Women will not enter Selah immediately after leaving exploitation. Selah is not intended to replace emergency services, residential treatment, or other recovery programs. Instead, a woman’s entry into Selah would come at the point when she is ready to re-enter society and live independently after completing appropriate recovery and support.

Selah exists to fill the gap between recovery and truly independent living. A woman may be ready to work, manage her own home, make her own decisions, and live independently—but still struggle to find safe, affordable housing.

At Selah, residents will have their own homes and their own lives. They may work, attend school, participate in church, volunteer, spend time with friends, travel, and enjoy the ordinary activities of everyday life.

The goal of Selah is not dependence—it is independence. We provide a safe place, community, and support as women continue building healthy, independent lives.

Selah will serve adult women who have experienced sex trafficking or exploitation and who are ready for independent living following other recovery and support services.

Residents will be carefully considered for placement based on their individual circumstances and readiness for this type of housing.

We are not creating a community for women who are currently being trafficked.

We are creating a community for women who have already taken significant steps toward rebuilding their lives.

Leaving exploitation is not the end of the journey.

A woman can complete a recovery program, be ready to work, and be capable of living independently—and still struggle to find housing that is both safe and affordable.

For many survivors, this creates a difficult gap.

They may be ready to move forward, but the available options can include unsafe environments, unaffordable rent, unstable housing, or returning to circumstances that make continued healing difficult.

Selah was created to address that gap.

The goal is not to shelter women forever. The goal is to give them a safe place to build a sustainable, independent life.

Selah will have an application and readiness process designed to determine whether the community is an appropriate fit for each woman. This will include an application, conversations and interviews, and consideration of her history, current stability, support needs, and readiness for independent living.

Women will not enter Selah directly from active exploitation or crisis. They will have already completed appropriate recovery and support and demonstrated the stability needed to live independently.

Our goal is not simply to find women who need housing, but to determine whether Selah is the right next step for a woman as she continues building an independent life.

Because a key part of healing is learning to live independently in a safe environment—and that transition can be incredibly difficult.

An apartment may provide four walls, but it does not necessarily provide safety, community, belonging, or the support that can make the difference between surviving independently and truly thriving.

Selah is designed to create a gentle next step between structured recovery and complete independence. Residents will have their own homes and the freedom to live their own lives, while being surrounded by a safe community, supportive relationships, and the beauty and peace of God's creation.

For women who have spent years experiencing trauma, instability, control, and unhealthy environments, where they heal and how they transition matters.

Selah exists to give women the opportunity to experience something many have never had: a safe place to breathe, rebuild, belong, and become fully independent.

Residents will have up to two years to live at Selah. This timeframe is intended to provide enough stability and space for women to establish sustainable independence without creating long-term dependence on the community.

The goal is not for a woman to leave simply because her time is up, but to use those two years intentionally—to work, save, build healthy relationships, strengthen life skills, and prepare for her next step.

Selah is a bridge, not a destination. It is a safe place to grow in independence and build a foundation for a healthy, sustainable future.

Healing and independent living are not always a straight line. We are all human, and everyone experiences seasons when they need additional support. Struggling does not automatically mean a woman has failed or that she no longer belongs at Selah.

Residents will have access to community, support, and appropriate resources when challenges arise. We will work to identify concerns early, connect her with the right support, and help her move forward in a healthy way.

Selah is designed to provide a safe place to grow in independence—not to expect perfection.

The first phase of Selah will include five tiny homes.

We may eventually expand to a maximum of eight homes, but only if and when it becomes necessary and appropriate.

We intentionally want Selah to remain small.

We are not looking to create a large residential development or a high-volume program.

We believe there is something valuable about a small community where people can know one another and where the environment can remain peaceful and personal.

We understand why this question may arise. The women who will live at Selah are not coming directly from trafficking situations. They have been removed from their exploitation for at least a year and have already walked through significant trauma-informed care, support, and healing.

By the time a woman comes to Selah, there is time, distance, stability, and a network of support between her and her trafficking experience. She is no longer isolated and under the control of an exploiter.

Traffickers also generally seek to avoid identification and exposure, making it unlikely that they would pursue a survivor who has established a safe, supported life far removed from her exploitation.

We take safety seriously and will continue to maintain appropriate boundaries, confidentiality, and safety practices. But it is important to understand that Selah is not a community of women actively being trafficked or newly escaping exploitation. It is a community of women who have already come through that experience and are building a safe, healthy, and hopeful future.

No.

The word “campground” has appeared in portions of the zoning process because of how existing zoning classifications apply to certain types of tiny-home developments.

But that terminology does not accurately communicate what Selah is intended to be.

Selah is a small residential community consisting of permanent homes for women served by Dear Dinah.

It is not a recreational campground, vacation destination, or short-term camping facility.

The homes are located at the back of the property, away from the road.

They will not be visible from the road in the way a typical development of homes might be.

This placement is intentional and allows Selah to maintain a peaceful residential environment while also respecting the surrounding landscape.

Our intention is the opposite.

We believe that communities are safer when people understand the realities of human trafficking rather than remaining unaware of them.

Trafficking does not happen only in places that look dangerous.

It can happen in ordinary communities, neighborhoods, homes, hotels, workplaces, and online spaces.

Having a community of people who understand trafficking, recognize warning signs, know how to respond, and are committed to protecting vulnerable people can be a positive thing.

Awareness is not a threat to a community. It is a protection for a community.

Being a trafficking survivor does not make someone dangerous.

The women who will live at Selah are women who have experienced exploitation—not people who are being brought into the community because they are a danger to others.

They will be entering Selah because they have reached a point in their recovery where independent living is appropriate.

As with any residential community, residents will be expected to respect the property, one another, and the surrounding community.

Yes.

Selah is a residential community for adults.

It is not a detention facility, treatment center, or locked campus.

Residents will live independently and participate in ordinary community life.

They may work, attend school, worship, shop, visit friends and family, participate in activities, and otherwise live their lives.

The goal is for women to become increasingly independent—not to remain isolated.

Selah itself is not a treatment program.

Residents may continue to access whatever services, counseling, employment resources, education, churches, medical care, or other community resources are appropriate for them.

Dear Dinah will remain available as a supportive relationship and resource, but residents will not be required to remain in a structured recovery program simply because they live at Selah.

This is an important part of the vision:

These women are moving forward with their lives.

Safety will be an important consideration in the design and operation of Selah.

There will be appropriate policies regarding visitors, property access, confidentiality, emergencies, and other safety concerns.

The community will also be operated by people who understand the realities of trafficking and the importance of recognizing potential risks.

At the same time, we do not want Selah to feel like a prison.

Women who have survived exploitation have already experienced enough environments where other people controlled their lives.

We want Selah to provide safety without taking away dignity, freedom, or independence.

Selah is a residential community for women.

Men will not reside at Selah as residents.

There may be circumstances in which male staff members, contractors, volunteers, or approved visitors are present, just as they may be in many residential communities.

Appropriate boundaries and policies will be established to protect residents and maintain a healthy environment.

Selah is being developed primarily as a residential community for adult women.

It is not intended to function as a residential facility for children.

No.

The first phase will consist of only five homes, with a maximum of eight homes if future expansion is ever determined to be necessary and appropriate.

Selah is intentionally small.

It is not designed to operate like a large facility with a constant flow of visitors, clients, or program participants.

The homes are also located toward the back of the property and away from the road.

We want Selah to be a quiet, peaceful residential community.

We care about the character of the surrounding community.

Because Selah is intended to function as a small residential community, we anticipate the ordinary sights and sounds associated with people living in their homes—not the activity associated with a large institutional or commercial facility.

We will also be thoughtful about gatherings, visitors, lighting, traffic, and other considerations that can affect neighboring properties.

Being a good neighbor is important to us.

Because independence means being part of a community.

Survivors should not have to remain isolated forever because they experienced exploitation.

Women rebuilding their lives need access to the same things everyone else needs:

• Employment

• Education

• Churches and faith communities

• Grocery stores and other businesses

• Healthcare

• Parks and recreation

• Healthy friendships

• Community activities

• Transportation

• Opportunities to contribute and serve

We believe survivors deserve the opportunity to become neighbors, coworkers, volunteers, friends, and contributing members of the communities where they live.

No.

Dear Dinah does not accept government funding of any kind.

This includes government grants.

Our work is supported through private individuals, churches, foundations, and other private sources of support.

We have intentionally chosen to operate without government funding because we believe in maintaining the freedom and flexibility to serve survivors according to our mission and convictions.

Dear Dinah is a Christian nonprofit, and our faith is foundational to who we are.

We believe every person is made in the image of God and possesses inherent dignity and worth.

Our hope is that women who come to Selah will experience the love of Christ through the way they are treated—with dignity, compassion, honesty, patience, and hope.

We also recognize that every woman has her own story, beliefs, questions, and experiences.

We want to walk alongside women with humility and respect.

Yes.

One part of the long-term vision for Selah is the development of a social enterprise that operates separately from the residential community.

Our vision is to eventually open a small coffee shop at an off-site location, separate from the Selah property.

The coffee shop would not be located on the Selah property, and it would not turn Selah into a public commercial destination.

Instead, we hope to use some of the resources and skills developed through the Selah community—such as lavender, herbs, farm products, and other goods—as appropriate, while creating opportunities for women to develop job skills, gain employment experience, and participate in meaningful work.

A social enterprise would allow the vision of Selah to extend beyond housing. It could become a way for women to create, work, contribute, and build something of their own as they continue their journey toward independence.

The property includes gardens, a lavender field, and a small farm with animals such as goats and chickens.

These elements are not only a part of the lifestyle and atmosphere we hope to create at Selah, but will also be used for the creation of products sold through our social enterprise.

There is something meaningful about caring for living things, working with the land, creating beauty, growing food, and participating in ordinary rhythms of life.

The farm is not intended to be a commercial agricultural operation.

It is part of the community itself.

We are intentionally beginning with five homes, with the understanding that the community may eventually grow to meet the need.

Any expansion would be carefully considered and would only happen if we believe it is necessary, appropriate, and consistent with the vision for Selah.

However, there is a firm limit: Selah will never have more than eight homes. Eight homes is the maximum envisioned capacity for the community, and we will not expand beyond that number.

We are not pursuing growth for the sake of growth. The size of Selah is intentionally limited so that it remains a safe, peaceful, relational community where women can be known, supported, and given the space to heal and thrive.

We welcome questions.

Selah is an unusual concept, and we understand that people may have questions about something they have never encountered before.

We believe the best response to questions is not defensiveness, but honesty, education, and conversation.

We want our neighbors and our broader community to have accurate information about human trafficking, about survivors, and about what we are actually proposing.

Please contact us any time with any additional questions you may have. If you would like to host or attend a training, we are happy to discuss available dates to meet this request!

Selah is not about creating a place where women are separated from society.

It is about creating a place where women can safely return to it.

The women who will live at Selah will not be women who have just been pulled out of exploitation.

They will be women who have already walked through significant steps of recovery and are ready for the next chapter.

They will be ready to work.

Ready to make their own decisions.

Ready to live independently.

Ready to build friendships.

Ready to become part of a community.

They will simply need something that many of us take for granted:

a safe and affordable place to live.

That is what Selah is designed to provide.

And while we are building Selah specifically for survivors, we believe the benefits of a community that understands trafficking extend far beyond its property lines.

A community that understands trafficking is better equipped to recognize exploitation.

A community that knows what healthy relationships look like is better equipped to protect vulnerable people.

A community that refuses to look away is a stronger community.

We believe Selah can be a small part of creating that kind of community.

Not a place defined by trafficking.

A place defined by what comes after it.

A place of safety.

A place of dignity.

A place of independence.

A place of community.

A place to pause.

A place to begin again.

Selah.