A Las Vegas nonprofit that assists sex workers and survivors of trafficking has a big vision for a modest building in downtown Las Vegas.
The Cupcake Girls, named for its original mission of supporting sex workers by handing out cupcakes in strip clubs, is preparing to move its national headquarters to East Charleston Boulevard, where it will serve both its clients and its neighbors.
“We're combining the mission-driven work of the nonprofit with the sustainability of a public-facing business,” said Amy Merrell, executive director of The Cupcake Girls.
Along with serving as a resource center for “people who are experiencing or have experienced domestic sex trafficking, or those in the adult entertainment industry,” Merrell said the building, set to open in June, will also house co-working space and a fresh-food market, a rarity in downtown Las Vegas.
“What we are doing is partnering with different farmers, local markets, and going to be having cheese, eggs, produce — things that people are able to just grab and go in the downtown area,” she told State of Nevada.
In order to protect the privacy of clients and reduce hesitancy among those in need of help, they will offer an off-site, more-private place to meet “to make sure that their identities are kept secret,” Merrell said.
Amy Merrell, executive director, The Cupcake Girls
