Our Story: The Beginning Of An Epic Journey

In 2005, a friend asked me (Joel) to join him to teach photography in Vietnam. I was instantly thrilled, until he told me stories of poverty, sickness, and abuse. He also explained how kids would go to the garbage dumps to look for food and while there, would be kidnapped and taken into slavery. Tears came as I listened and I was forever moved by his stories.  Unfortunately, the trip never came to pass but the issue of slavery was forever a part of my spirit.

A year later, another friend of mine shared with me that his son had recently help start a non-profit called Not For Sale Campaign, which focused on re-abolishing modern day slavery. Not long after our conversation, he asked me to help launch a group at our church concerning the same issues. As our group was coming into fruition, I then asked an advertising agency at the end of 2007 to develop an awareness campaign surrounding the issue.

By February of 2008, the agency officially agreed to help and right away began to develop and produce Minnesota’s first ever awareness campaign on behalf of Not For Sale. Later that year we began filming and photographing the campaign that became part of an awareness event, held at the Lagoon Theater in Minneapolis. In May of 2009, our public service announcement, Shadow Hands, won a Clio and has since traveled to over 90 countries.

As a result of being involved in helping produce the campaign, we began writing a business plan and strategies for Hope & Rescue—awareness and root systemic issues, we believe, needs to be addressed on a larger scale. Since, we have spent the last few years establishing the infrastructure to support Hope & Rescue’s mission:

Create global awareness and collaboration that tips an abolitionist movement to free millions enslaved across our planet.

Please join us on this epic journey. Help us help those who cannot help themselves!

- Joel & Kim Sheagren