Since the beginnings of our Flipping for Freedom project in January, our extreme makeover of a house in American Fork, Utah, has been marked by excitement, passion, and generosity. By the end of January, all carpet and flooring had been removed, some walls had been torn down, and a couple of bathrooms gutted.
Since then, the whole property has undergone an amazing transformation—one that brings to mind the amazing transformations undergone by the girls who will ultimately benefit from the project. Because we’ll be donating the proceeds of the sale of the house to Hope for Justice so that they can rescue more people from human trafficking, that parallel is not only clear but also evocative. As long as the house stands, it will serve as a reminder that people can overcome neglect and abandonment, and with help from others, thrive.
The house’s transformation is being propelled by Bryan and Amanda Cooper’s vision to connect their house-flipping skills with their passion for helping others, which has spread widely and been fueled hundreds of volunteer labor hours and many generous community donations. Similarly, the transformations of the girls who have been rescued from human trafficking have been powered by the vision of Ben Cooley, the co-founder and CEO of Hope for Justice and his dedicated staff of professionals.
Both kinds of transformation entail a lot of work and passion on the part of the people involved. Here’s a peek into what both Bryan and Ben have done, who they are, and what they envision for others wondering how to find their passion and/or connect it with ways to help others.
