Hope Inspire Love takes both a realistic and an optimistic approach to its work. The human trafficking-fighting local nonprofit also takes its fun seriously.

Hope Inspire Love's upcoming event is a mixture of style and substance, of business and play and of joy and caution.

"When people dress in formal attire, they feel elegant," said Amy Thurston, Hope Inspire Love's CEO and co-founder. "They're meeting people who have similar beliefs. They're excited. They feel beautiful. But they're seeing that their support has purpose; it's supporting the work we do. It's a night of beauty while also bringing hope. They'll be hearing hard stories, but the beauty outweighs them."

Hope Inspire Love's third annual gala and awards ceremony - the organization's largest fundraiser - will be conducted on Friday, April 11, at Eden Resort, 222 Eden Road, Lancaster. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., and the festivities will begin with a silent auction and an hors d'oeuvres hour.

A keynote speaker who has been directly affected by human trafficking will deliver an address to the gathering, and a full-course dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. Liz Ackerman, executive director of the Northern Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce, will serve as the master of ceremonies for the event, which will also feature music and an interactive live art experience.

The deadline for purchasing tickets at http://www.hopeinspirelove.org is Thursday, April 10.

"It's an evening for people to celebrate the work that Hope Inspire Love does," said Thurston. "People get a chance to learn about our existing programs. The gala is an opportunity to come out, become more aware and understand how they can become involved."

Organizers of Hope Inspire Love are hoping to make $100,000 through the fundraiser, about $15,000 more than it raised last year.

"We want to be able to expand our restorative services," said Thurston. "We want to be able to meet people's needs. We don't want to have to say to people, 'We can't serve you.' We want to be able to say yes. We want to make sure it's a long-term, not a short-term, fix."

As many as 250 church members, community members, business leaders, government officials and individuals who have been directly and indirectly affected by human trafficking are expected to attend.

"I love people, and I love relationships," said Thurston. "I love seeing people connecting around their tables. What gets me choked up is how many people come out. I love seeing people who support the why."

Hope Inspire Love also conducts a Freedom Walk to help raise funds and awareness about human trafficking, in addition to other smaller fundraising events throughout the year. Hope Inspire Love's mission is also funded through private and business donations, church charity and grants.

"To me, it's about fostering healthy relationships and growing," said Thurston. "It's important for businesses to know who we are. We're trying to help people navigate healthy relationships. We're trying to meet people where they are and walk with them on their journeys."

Located at 1380 Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster, Hope Inspire Love was founded in 2017 when Thurston's husband, Steve, witnessed an incident of human trafficking. Today, Hope Inspire Love is operated by a staff of six employees and supported by over 100 volunteers.

"We've been able to expand our services beyond Lancaster County," said Thurston. "We've been able to expand our team. We've been able to do more prevention education. We've been able to match survivors with mentors. That's why we get to celebrate."

"We love to be able to tell the survivors that the community did this," added Thurston. "This isn't about Hope Inspire Love; it's about all of us working together. It takes all of us. We all have a part to play."