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Charity Challenge spotlight: Nonprofit works to keep Houstonians safe by solving and preventing crimes

The Crime Stoppers of Houston tip line program has helped solve over 30,000 felony cases and led to the arrest of nearly 25,000 felony fugitives.

Houston's a city of great giving and the CultureMap Charity Challenge aims to highlight that. CultureMap selected 12 deserving nonprofits to compete for a grand prize as they all raise awareness for worthy causes. Today: Crime Stoppers of Houston.

Founded in 1981, Crime Stoppers of Houston is the city's only non-profit dedicated to public safety and has remained committed to its mission to solve and prevent serious crime in the Greater Houston Area in partnership with citizens, media and the criminal justice system.

Through close collaboration with local law enforcement agencies and the citizens of Houston, the Crime Stoppers of Houston tip line program has paid over $10 million in cash rewards to tipsters, helped solve over 30,000 felony cases and led to the arrest of nearly 25,000 felony fugitives. The Tip Line Program continues to be a national crime prevention model and strives to empower and motivate citizens to report crimes of any kind, ranging from bullying and animal cruelty to domestic violence and crimes against children.

The organization's Fallen Hero Project protects, defends and gives back to the heroes in the community who keep the city safe and provides unprecedented protections for peace officers and fire fighters to ensure their safety as they serve the citizens of the Houston Metropolitan Area. Additionally, the group's Safe Community Program identifies and targets crime affecting the citizens of Houston and Harris County and takes profound steps to prevent crime before it occurs.

Moreover, in 2014 alone, outreach through the Safe School Program — which educates elementary, middle and high school-aged students about crime and safety — reached over 8,600 students and directly resulted in over 36 solved cases including the removal of illegal drugs and 7 weapons from our schools.

Vote now for Crime Stoppers of Houston — or one of the other worthy local nonprofits — in the CultureMap Charity Challenge.

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Charity Challenge Winner

Organization with a special mission wins 2016 CultureMap Charity Challenge

Courtesy photo

Freedom Place is the first long-term, comprehensive care facility in Texas for underage victims of domestic child sex trafficking, and is one of only five such facilities in the country.

The votes have been calculated and the results of the third CultureMap Charity Challenge — a two-week online contest in which readers were asked to recognize the good work of a dozen local non-profit organizations — are in.

Garnering 30 percent of the more than 17,000 total votes, Freedom Place is the 2016 grand prize recipient and will receive an exclusive promotion and advertising package from CultureMap valued at $10,000.

Freedom Place is a Christian-oriented care and recovery center for underage female victims of domestic child sex trafficking. It's the first long-term, comprehensive care facility in Texas for underage victims of domestic child sex trafficking, and is one of only five such facilities in the country.

The organization's mission is to offer a successful path to freedom for American children who have suffered as victims of commercial sexual exploitation.

“The benefit of the CultureMap Charity Challenge has been huge. It’s helped unite and unify us for a movement we believe is great,” Debi Tengler, national development director of Arrow Child & Family Ministries, told CultureMap. “It’s been exciting to see our national organization, donors and the community step up and root for us.”

K9s4COPS came in a close second with 28 percent of the votes. Founded in 2010 by Kristi Schiller, K9s4COPS is a non-profit foundation whose mission is to ensure that every law enforcement agency be provided a well-trained K9 to accompany officers on duty, ready for action.

The other worthy local the charities that took in this year's challenge are:

You can read about each charity in the CultureMap Charity Challenge special series.

Freedom Place is the first long-term, comprehensive care facility in Texas for underage victims of domestic child sex trafficking, and is one of only five such facilities in the country.

Houston, Freedom Place, January 2016, girl with horse

Courtesy photo

Freedom Place is the first long-term, comprehensive care facility in Texas for underage victims of domestic child sex trafficking, and is one of only five such facilities in the country.

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Charity Challenge spotlight: Nonprofit works to keep Houstonians safe by solving and preventing crimes

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Charity Challenge Winner

Organization with a special mission wins 2016 CultureMap Charity Challenge

Freedom Place is the first long-term, comprehensive care facility in Texas for underage victims of domestic child sex trafficking, and is one of only five such facilities in the country.