January Spotlight Series: Spotlight On Human Trafficking
January is National Human Trafficking Awareness month and with North Carolina climbing the list of high risk states year after year (and Charlotte being the #1 region in North Carolina where human trafficking is most prevalent), it is an issue that our community cannot afford to ignore. Thankfully, there are local nonprofit organizations who work tirelessly to protect against this issue. In order to help raise awareness this month, SHARE Charlotte’s January Spotlight Series will focus on our nonprofit partners who serve those at risk and/or those who have already been affected and are recovering from the horrors of human trafficking.
The organizations listed below all combat the issue of human trafficking differently. Some work to prevent and educate, while others rehabilitate victims in the aftermath. Together, they make the Charlotte community a better, safer place to live. Read how they protect our community and visit their SHARE Charlotte profiles to see how you can get involved with each organization.
Justice Ministries is committed to combating sex trafficking and sexual exploitation of women, with a focus on rescue & housing. Their goal is to locate victims of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation to help them find refuge while facilitating healing and a transition to independence.
Love146 is an international human rights organization working to end child trafficking and exploitation through survivor care and prevention. Love146 is helping grow the movement to end child trafficking while providing effective, thoughtful solutions.
Redeeming Joy is an intensive restoration home for women who have survived human trafficking. They provide holistic and trauma informed services in a safe environment to help bring healing to the complex hurts of those sexually exploited. In addition, they have a home that can serve 10-12 residents and a location that offers services to the community. Redeeming Joy also empowers the community to put their compassion into action by providing awareness and training.
Present Age Ministries is committed to combating the sexual abuse, exploitation and trafficking of teen girls by promoting awareness through community programs and empowering survivors through their residential housing program. It is their goal to rebuild trust, restore hope and redefine love - one life at a time.
Compassion to Act exists to liberate and restore victims of human trafficking and exploitation through awareness, liberation, restoration and sustainability. They use a hands-on approach to rescue women in clubs and on the streets while building safe relationships for victims to find their way to freedom. The Compassion to Act team commands rescue operations, short-term emergency safe-houses, and outreaches on location where women are being exploited.
Fashion & Compassion supports vulnerable and oppressed women by providing transitional employment, supportive community and connections to individualized resources that empower women who are charting a courageous path toward a self-sustaining life of purpose. Their Artisans participate in a diverse community where they make jewelry as well as learn work readiness skills, receive emotional support and have opportunities for spiritual growth. The serve women who are overcoming trafficking, addiction, incarceration, and abuse as well as refugees and immigrants
Lily Pad Haven provides housing for adult survivors of human trafficking. They have a network of houses in the Charlotte Metro Area where their guests are referred by federal, state and local law enforcement as well as other non-government organizations who work with victims of human trafficking. Each resident receives individualized care with no limit on how long they can stay. Lily Pad Haven collaborates with the community to provide the integrated system of care needed for guests to transition to independent living.
Foundation For Girls is a youth-led social venture. They endeavor to change the life trajectory for at-risk girls and youth through programs in financial wellness, leadership, digital literacy, and health & wellbeing. Foundation for Girls collaborates with many organizations in Charlotte and serve homeless, domestic violence victims, teen moms, trafficking survivors, and refugees.
Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy
Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy provides a wide range of civil legal assistance to low-income people in the Charlotte area and west-central N.C. Their mission is to pursue justice for those in need, and in doing so, they are building a just community, where all people are treated fairly and have access to legal representation to meet their basic human needs of safety, economic security and stability.
Latin American Coalition (La Coalición)
La Coalición is an immigrant rights nonprofit organization that is pioneering a model for 21st century democracy building and inclusive community engagement in North Carolina. They have developed a multifaceted approach to promote justice and equity called Social Service to Social Action, a strategy that traces an intentional path through direct service intervention, integration support, alliance building, institution and systems change – all building toward meaningful culture and policy change.
The Salvation Army helps people overcome challenging circumstances so that they can live quality, productive lives by giving them practical tools and basic necessities. Our areas of service include providing disaster relief, offering rehabilitation and work programs to men with addiction, and transitional shelter-to-housing programs for single women and young mothers (Center of Hope).
Florence Crittenton Services, Inc.
Florence Crittenton Services' mission is to promote health and hope for tomorrow's children by providing comprehensive health, educational and social services for single pregnant and non-pregnant adolescents, women and their families. Their services include: a safe place to live, counseling, medical and health care, parenting support, education services and vocational training, spiritual enrichment, nutrition education, early child development education, adoption support, maternity program for single pregnant adolescents and women, mother-infant residential foster care program, non-pregnant residential foster care program, aftercare services and alumnae events.
Safe Alliance
Safe Alliance provides hope and healing to those impacted by sexual assault. They define sexual assault as any act committed against a person's will by force, coercion, or trickery that is of a sexual nature and know that sexual assault is not only an invasion of a person's body, but also their mind. Safe Alliance helps people build safe, healthy relationships by providing emergency shelter, trauma counseling, legal representation, court advocacy services and educational prevention programs in the wake of sexual assault including experiencing human trafficking.
Please feel free to SHARE this blog post and help spread awareness!