Nobody gets left out in the cold.
ACORN is the Abandoned Children's Open Rescue Network — a rescue, reporting and resource network run by young people who have lived it, for the kids who are living it now.
"We should be trusted because, unlike the adults who didn't live it, we did."— ACORN founding principle
What ACORN does
Report
Tell us about a kid who's been abandoned, is being exploited, or is being approached by someone who shouldn't be. Anonymous by default. You get a tracking code so you're never left wondering what happened.
Go to reporting →Map & track
See where trusted help exists and where it doesn't. Track a report with your code. Every state, every county, one map.
Open the map →Resources
Housing, food and medical agencies that states and counties have vouched for — uploaded by them, verified by us, and checked by kids who've actually used them.
Browse resources →Why kids run it
Every system meant to protect children is run by people who learned about it secondhand. ACORN's position is that secondhand isn't good enough to be in charge.
A kid who has lived it hears the hook before the sentence is finished — the "taxis in this town are so expensive, mind if we share?" that an adult hears as a nice guy. That recognition can't be taught in a workshop.
How we're built
- Owned and operated by kids. Youth board holds real authority over programs, budget and hiring.
- Adult oversight, not adult control. Adult custodians hold the legal shell and can only block what is illegal or unsafe.
- Survivor-only leadership. Every board member and executive is a survivor of trafficking, exploitation or abuse — adults included.
- Self-identification. No one is ever asked to prove their trauma. Survivor status is affirmed by peers, not by paperwork.
- Open network. States, counties and verified agencies plug in; the data stays in the open where kids can check it.
For states, counties & agencies
If you run a shelter, a food program, a clinic, or a county office that refers kids to them, you can list your trusted agencies on the ACORN map. Listings are verified before they go live, and young people who use the service can flag problems directly.
Upload a trusted agencyMake a report
You don't have to know everything. You don't have to give your name. Tell us what you can.
Map & Tracker
Click a state to see its trusted agencies and report activity. Enter a tracking code to follow a report.
United States — all coverage
Track a report
Live tracker
Resources
Trusted housing, food and medical help — listed by states and counties, verified by ACORN, rated by the kids who use them.
Upload a trusted agency
For state and county officials, and for agencies themselves. New listings show as pending until ACORN verifies them. Bulk upload by CSV is below.
Bulk upload (CSV)
Columns, in order: name,type,state,county,phone,website,address,hours,notes,submitted_by,verification_email. type is one of housing / food / medical / crisis. state is the two-letter code.
About ACORN
Abandoned Children's Open Rescue Network. Owned and operated entirely by kids, with adult oversight. Every board member and executive leader is a survivor of trafficking, exploitation or abuse.
Governance
A youth board holds decision authority over programs, budget and hiring. Adult survivor custodians hold the legal entity and may only veto actions that are illegal or unsafe — a brake, not a steering wheel.
Who counts as a survivor
Self-identification, affirmed by existing survivor leaders. No police report, case file or therapist letter is ever required. Requiring proof re-traumatizes people and excludes the kids who were never "officially" rescued.
Still in it
A leader whose situation isn't fully over isn't disqualified. The charter's answer to safety is support and adjusted duties, never removal.
Open by design
Agency listings, verification status and coverage gaps are public. Report contents never are.
Domain: acorn.help · Status: founding charter in progress.