When you start a nonprofit, you're focused on the work and not necessarily thinking in terms of future mergers. The founders of Hope Inspire Love kept their noses to the grindstone, and natural evolution produced organic growth.

"My heart was always collaboration and participation," said Amy Thurston, who, along with her husband, Steve, founded Hope Inspire Love nine years ago. "Did I think about a merger? No. We weren't coming here to reinvent what someone else was doing. She's Somebody's Daughter was doing things other people weren't doing. You're taking the strengths of both organizations and putting them together."

More than simply a merger, Hope Inspire Love and She's Somebody's Daughter recently joined forces, pooled resources and intertwined missions all in the name of fighting human trafficking and sexual exploitation. The names have remained the same under the umbrella of a single nonprofit. Hope Inspire Love will serve as the lead organization, and the Lemoyne-based She's Somebody's Daughter will perform outreach services.

"This was just a beautiful next step," said Amy. "This allows us to better impact and really help survivors in our region. It's a natural alignment in the right direction. It's not a mission drift; it's a mission realignment. We don't ever want there to be barriers for Hope Inspire Love. This was an easy 'yes.' There was no pause or reservations."

The consolidation allows the two nonprofits to work as one and to provide better services and reach more victims and potential victims of human trafficking in Lancaster, Dauphin, Franklin, Lebanon, York, Berks, Cumberland, Adams, Perry, Montgomery and Lehigh counties. Operating under the tagline "Better Together, Stronger Together," Hope Inspire Love, which is headquartered at 1380 Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster, now also operates offices in Lemoyne and Chambersburg.

Under details of the merger, every former staff member of She's Somebody's Daughter was retained by the new organization.

"This partnership is a bold investment in the future of survivors and our community," said Rosemarie Davis, executive director of She's Somebody's Daughter. "The exponential power of partnership with Hope Inspire Love enables us to support and expand our mission to women exploited in the commercial sex industry."

"She's Somebody's Daughter's mission is going out and meeting individuals in dark places and meeting the needs, instead of waiting for people to be referred to them," said Amy, who will remain in her role as CEO of Hope Inspire Love. "They're going into that moment and into vulnerable situations like massage businesses, strip clubs, motels and prisons. We're there for long-term support.

"We've been working together for years," added Amy. "(She's Somebody's Daughter was) looking at where they were going in the future. We were working with them like, 'What do you need?'"

Ultimately, it was a conversation at a conference between Thurston and She's Somebody's Daughter officials that got the ball rolling toward a merger. Thurston took the idea to Hope Inspire Love's board of directors in January of 2025, and by the fall of that year, the proper documentation was submitted to the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office.

"We made sure this was truly a great fit," said Amy. "It's not just two organizations joining names. It's a collective force for good in our community. We have to be willing to consider what's best for the people we serve. Neither organization was looking for this, but this came about. We didn't force it. It was meant to be."

Amy and Steve Thurston founded Hope Inspire Love in the basement of their home in 2017. The organization has performed a wealth of good in those short years since.

"It started as a dream of something we had to do," said Amy. "It started with awareness and education. We have expanded our services, and now we have over 100 volunteers giving back. If you look at the years that have passed, we've been able to put together a strong team that supports the mission and community."

For additional information, go to https://hopeinspirelove.org.