The April Thacker Dream Scholarship empowers human trafficking survivors further themselves in their personal development and growth. This program challenges applicants to dream for themselves, outline their goals, and work towards achieving their goals. Our primary goal is to support survivors in defining success for their unique journey. We work with applicants to ask “What is MY dream? How do I imagine getting there? What are my barriers and how do I address them?” Awardees of the Dream Scholarship will be given the opportunity to tackle these questions and work towards bringing their dreams to fruition.
“It is important to support advanced recovery for survivors because it empowers them to rebuild their lives, achieve independence, and contribute positively to their communities. Supporting advanced recovery through scholarships helps survivors pursue education and career opportunities, which can lead to long-term stability and fulfillment. ”
2025 Dream Session Dates:
March 14th, 2025 9:30am Columbus Ohio
September 19th, 2025 9:30am-11:30am Columbus Ohio
Interested applicants must attend full session in person in Columbus to apply.
For the fall 2025 session, please complete the application below and we will contact you when the Dream Session has been scheduled.
Apply
We want to dream with you! Visit the link below for FAQ, application and timelines. For additional questions reach out to jennifertaylor@shehasaname.org.
Serve
There are a variety of ways you can be a part of making dreams come true. Visit the link below to learn more about volunteer and mentorship opportunities.
Donate
Making dreams come true isn’t possible without the generosity of our financial partners. To learn how you can support this important program, visit the link below.
Dreams Realized…
Since its inception in 2018, the April Thacker Dream Scholarship has helped survivors of human trafficking:
Publish a book about lived experience
Provide supplies for survivor-led street outreach in Dayton, Ohio
Launch an LLC with start up support for a survivor owned business
Celebrate first vacations with family
Aquire backpacking equipment to lead trauma therapy hiking trips
“I know that working with this population can sometimes feel like an uphill battle and most of the time the tears of
frustration outweigh the tears of joy. So I wanted to encourage your organization to have Hope, what you guys do matters!
Thanks to SHAN we opened a drop-in center in Dayton on the “track.” It’s the only one in the city for this population! We served them meals, did case management, gave them supplies and just enjoyed being with them.
Thank you again for enabling me to serve so well.
”
Susan Trianfo and April Thacker at She Has A Name’s 2019 Scholarship Celebration
Who was April Thacker?
April Thacker was a survivor of human trafficking. She was heavily involved in the recovery space, specifically as the Butterfly Program Coordinator for Freedom A La Cart. She was our second ever survivor scholarship awardee before she tragically passed away due to health complications before she could finish her degree program. In speaking with her family about what to do with her scholarship funds, we collectively agreed to create a new scholarship for survivors in pursuit of their dreams. This was something April worked tirelessly for. The program was developed by survivors, clinicians, and the staff at SHAN. Today we honor her legacy by hosting Dream Sessions to empower survivors to dream, and award Dream Scholarships to see them realize those dreams.
This program is made possible through the generosity of the following financial partners and in-kind support:
2024 Impact
Nine survivors of human trafficking attended She Has A Name’s Dream Sessions in April and September to discover what comes next. Five Dream Scholarships were awarded for a total of $10,929.
Dream Big | We hope to inspire 15 survivors through 2025 Dream Sessions, and invest in 8 through Dream Scholarships in 2025.