Even as a young child growing up in Mississippi, Jenny Williamson knew she would be a mom someday. She was the oldest of four siblings—“They would say I’m the bossy one,” she jokes—and credits her happy childhood with her later desire to provide that kind of stability to children who weren’t as fortunate. Williamson now lives in Granite Bay with her husband and five children, and is the founder and CEO of Courage Worldwide, an international nonprofit that provides homes for children who have been victims of sex trafficking.

Williamson first heard about the problem eight years ago, shortly after moving to the Sacramento region. “I couldn’t believe I lived in a world where children [were] sold for sex,” she says. “I thought, I’m just a mom, but I have to do something.” Soon after, the first Courage House was born—a licensed home that provides a family structure, counseling and long-term support for children rescued from sex trafficking environments. In 2014, Williamson was honored with the L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth Award for her outreach efforts. For Williamson, however, the real honor is the change she’s been able to make in the lives of victimized children, including the two children she and her husband adopted from a Courage House. “I laugh and say I started an organization to help people find their purpose, and ended up finding mine,” she shares. “I hope my story will inspire people who are ‘just a mom’ to make a difference in someone’s life.”

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For more about Jenny Williamson and other local happenings and information, be sure to pick up this month's copy of Style – Roseville, Granite Bay, Rocklin edition.