January is National Trafficking Awareness Month
By Wendy J Smith, Reclaiming Hope Board Member
January 4th, 2023 the state of Colorado recognized January as Human Trafficking awareness month as part of a national effort to increase awareness and public education. 
Human Trafficking is a multi-million dollar criminal enterprise which is complex and difficult to quantify. That said it is occurring in every community, every state, and every country. Anyone can be a victim. Perpetrators know how to groom and captivate their victims. Recruitment occurs in places many would not suspect, such as the internet, schools, malls, sports events, and others.
What can you do to help combat human trafficking?
First, educate yourself! Learn what human trafficking is, what are the indicators, who is most vulnerable, where is it occurring and what is being done locally.
- Meet with local, state, and even federal officials and share your concerns, let them know you care about combating human trafficking and ask them how they are addressing this issue as your representative.
- Get involved and volunteer in local efforts to combat human trafficking
- Keep the National Human Trafficking Hotline number in your cell-phone in the event you believe someone may be a victim of human trafficking.
- Be a responsible consumer and research your favorite products to ensure they are not made with slave labor.
- Organize a fundraiser to support anti-trafficking organizations.
We can all make a difference!
Here are just a few resources/organizations you can start with (this is not an exhaustive list)
- National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-788Colorado Human Trafficking Hotline: call 866-455-5057 or text 720-999-9724
Education and/or volunteer
At Reclaiming Hope our work and ministry focuses on two aspects of trafficking – equipping those who recover victims (through our Hope Bag Program), and walking with women who have come out of the life ( through our Survivor Care Program). We speak about prevention, and educate others… we love to alert you to other resources, so that you can learn more.
Are you interested in walking with a survivor? Our next mentor training is February 4th. If you want to know more, please go to our website: Mentor Program – Reclaiming Hope (reclaiming-hope.org). There’s an interview process, so please take action soon!
Because you helped, we were able to distribute 205 Christmas Stockings to partner organizations. Thank you!
- “I wanted to say thank you for my stocking and all the love that came with it.”
- “Oh goodness! Thank you soooo much. I was down to $20. And the stocking of gifts are so awesome.”
- “Thank you so, so much. You absolutely made my day. Not me crying, though, for the kind words in the card as well.”
We are hard at work on our Annual Impact Report. Just a glimpse: 1,054 Hope Bags distributed = over 38,000 items in and out of our warehouse to benefit survivors!
The following groups helped us with donation drives in December. How grateful we are!
We’re grateful for the following grants:
Clara/Vanguard Skin Specialists: $12,000
Home Depot, Monument: shipping boxes
Pikes Peak Area Rotary Endowment:$2,000
IN THE NEWS AND RESOURCES
- Anyone can be a victim… The State of Colorado is launching a human trafficking campaign to send a critical message: Anyone can be a victim, but help is available.
- January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month… Why now is the time to re-focus on this crime.
PRAYER REQUESTS
- We are so grateful for God’s provisions.
- Feb. 4 Mentor training – that the Lord brings the right people to attend, to become mentors.
- Several Mentees struggle with low income, and meeting their bills. We need wisdom to know when and how to empower them, so that they find a new way forward.
- We still have contact with some former mentees who have specific needs. The Lord knows.