Transforming Lives of Young Women Impacted by Trafficking & Homelessness
A nonprofit 501(c)(3) helping young women impacted by trafficking, homelessness, and the foster care system.
The Teen Project’s Mission Statement
The mission of the Teen Project is to provide a full life transformation to prior foster and at-risk young women who have survived human trafficking and homelessness, by providing sobriety, psychotherapy and a life sustaining higher education. The Teen Project is a nonprofit 501c3 serving at risk young women. We provide drug treatment at no cost to eligible recipients through the support of County of Los Angeles, Department of Public Health, Substance Abuse Prevention and Control (SAPC) and our gracious donors. The Teen Project is a parent to the parentless providing young women without resources with a chance at life.
- 100% nonprofit, 501(c)(3)
Serving at-risk young women across Southern California.
- No-cost drug treatment
Provided to eligible participants through support from LA County Department of Public Health, SAPC, and generous donors
- Whole-life transformation
Sobriety, mental health care, education, and long-term stability
The Teen Project Team
Lauri Burns
Chief Executive Officer
Jeffrey Rubenstein
Board President
Darren Calbay
Board
Nick Kochek
Retired UPS COO
Shelly Price
Board
The College House
Crisis Residential Treatment Program
Sanctuary Recovery Center For Teen Girls
Vera’s Sanctuary For Women
Carol’s Sanctuary
Outpatient Program
Volunteer With Us
At The Teen Project, our volunteers are the heart of what we do. By donating your time, skills, and passion, you help create safe spaces, build meaningful connections, and empower teens to thrive. Whether you’re mentoring one-on-one, supporting events, or helping with community outreach, every contribution makes a difference.
Why Volunteer?
- Support teens in a positive, uplifting environment
- Gain meaningful experience and grow your skills
- Be part of a compassionate and dedicated community
- Meet Our Founder, Lauri Burns
Lauri Burns is the founder of The Teen Project and a woman whose life and work are shaped by lived experience. Having faced homelessness, addiction, and profound instability herself, Lauri understands firsthand what it means to survive without safety, support, or direction. Her recovery was not just about sobriety, it was about rebuilding identity, purpose, and hope.
That journey became her calling.
Lauri founded The Teen Project to be the parent to the parentless, to create the kind of safe, structured, and compassionate environment she once needed but could not find. Her purpose is rooted in the belief that young women who have experienced trafficking, foster care, and homelessness deserve more than survival; they deserve healing, education, and a real chance at a full life.
Driven by empathy, accountability, and deep respect for the dignity of every young woman served, Lauri leads with the conviction that transformation is possible when care is holistic, trauma-informed, and grounded in love.
Donate to The Teen Project
Safe housing, drug treatment, higher education, employment and love. Help at-risk young women who are homeless, incarcerated and or victims of human trafficking. Donations help support:
- Education
- Internships
- Job Training
- Savings Plans
- Group Therapy
- Medication Support
- Automobile Matching
- Bedrooms and Housing
- Case Management Services
- Group Therapy
Speaking & Podcasts
Purpose-driven conversations rooted in lived experience, recovery, and advocacy.
Lauri Burns is a sought-after speaker who brings authenticity, depth, and compassion to conversations around addiction, recovery, foster care, human trafficking, and resilience. Drawing from lived experience and decades of service, her talks resonate across diverse audiences, from public agencies and academic institutions to faith communities, nonprofits, and international conferences.
She has been invited to speak at events and forums including universities, government agencies, correctional facilities, recovery conferences, women’s leadership gatherings, and global symposiums, both nationally and internationally. Her message centers on hope, accountability, healing, and the power of purpose-driven transformation.
Speaking engagements range from keynote addresses and panel discussions to podcast interviews and educational forums, all grounded in trauma-informed, ethical, and human-centered perspectives.
For speaking engagements, podcast appearances, or media inquiries, please contact us below
Lauri’s Book: Punished for Purpose
Punished for Purpose is a gripping true-life account of hardship, survival, and ultimate transformation. Told through the lived experience of a young girl who endured severe abuse, wrongful institutionalization, and life on the streets, Lauri’s story reveals both the devastating failures of systems and the extraordinary capacity for healing and purpose.
Rather than focusing on shock, this story centers on resilience, the journey from trauma and loss to recovery, faith, and service. It is a testimony to the power of hope, accountability, and the belief that even the most broken beginnings can lead to meaningful, purpose-driven lives.
