Straddling the Arizona/Utah border, Short Creek (also known as Colorado City) was a small ranching town when a breakaway sect of fundamentalists settled there in 1935, becoming the dominant influence over the next 60 years.
In 2002, Warren Jeffs gained control of the FLDS (Fundamentalists Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints), transforming the town and personally amassing nearly 80 wives.
Surrendered by her parents to be Jeffs’ 65th wife, teen bride Briell Decker eventually escaped, changed her name, and went into hiding. In 2007, Jeffs was sentenced to life plus 20 years for his child bride sexual abuse, with victims as young as 12. After his sentencing, Briell requested to obtain Jeffs’ compound and was granted approval to purchase the property. Within a few months, Briell began working with the Phoenix Dream Center to see if we could help turn the place of horror into a place of healing.
As the number one non-profit organization in the world that addresses the human trafficking crisis, while also serving struggling families, addicts, homeless and the disadvantaged, we, at the Dream Center, could not say no. This is who we are and what we do.
The Dream Institute and the Short Creek Dream Center leadership has repurposed the compound, providing education, skills training, after school programs, resumé building, crisis housing and trauma counseling.
The Dream Institute is dedicated to supporting the Short Creek Dream Center facilities and services by securing the necessary funding and in-kind services.
