Justice Miriam Shearing Commits $1 Million to St. Jude’s Ranch for Children’s Healing Center

Continuing her legacy of justice, retired Justice Miriam Shearing has donated $1 million to St. Jude’s Ranch for Children’s Healing Center for child victims of sex trafficking who, today, have limited options for help.

In honor of her donation, the Healing Center campus will include the “Shearing Garden” which will be a safe and tranquil place for restoration and hope.

St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, a community of hope and healing, has plans to build on its own 54-year legacy by building a residential program with safe homes for child victims of sex trafficking, the first of its kind in the country.

Retired Justice Miriam Shearing shattered glass ceilings for women in the Nevada court system. She was the first woman to sit on the Nevada Supreme Court in 1993 and the first woman Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1997. She also served in Las Vegas Justice Court and Clark County District Court, including Juvenile Court.

“I am grateful to St. Jude’s Ranch for Children for making the commitment to raise enough money to build a facility which will keep children who have been trafficked safe from child sexual predators while providing services to help the children recover from their traumatic experiences,” said Justice Shearing. “One of the saddest times in Juvenile Court was seeing the young victims of sex trafficking when we had only limited resources to keep them safe and help them heal. My experiences have taught me that this a severely unfulfilled need and too large for any one purse to meet. I encourage others to step up as well.”

The $1 million gift brings St. Jude’s Ranch for Children to the two-thirds mark of the $15 million capital campaign.

“Community support is incredibly important to St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, however when the support comes from individuals like Justice Miriam Shearing, it is extraordinary,” said St. Jude’s Ranch for Children Chief Executive Officer Christina Vela. “Justice Shearing truly understands that traumatized young victims of sex trafficking need a place like the Healing Center. We are exceptionally grateful for Justice Shearing’s incredible generosity.”

Justice Shearing’s donation was recognized at St. Jude’s Ranch for Children’s “There’s No Place Like Hope” on Saturday, May 1, 2021. The gala benefited the charity’s capital campaign to build the Healing Center and raised another $350,000.

The Healing Center will provide a specialized therapeutic program focused on assisting young people, ages zero to 18 years old, in moving from victim to survivor. With a capacity ranging from 30 at single occupancy to 60 at double occupancy, the Healing Center will include survivor advocates, medical resources, educational support, clinical services, and other individualized needs and will have a nurturing and therapeutic residential environment with healing spaces such as therapy rooms, a yoga/meditation studio, tranquility garden, and more.

While St. Jude’s Ranch for Children has the experience, knowledge and capabilities, funding is still needed to support the construction, outreach efforts, staffing, and operations of the program. Those interested in supporting The Healing Center with any size donation, can contact Christina Vela at 702-294-7111 or HealingCenter@Stjudesranch.org.