2 Things You Can Do Right Away

1) Take five minutes to email five companies and encourage them to root out forced labor throughout their supply chains. Your voice makes a difference!  Visit  www.chainstorereaction.com

2) Take ten minutes to invest $25 in a micro loan. Your dollars will go to individuals and small companies around the world that can make a major difference in the war on systemic poverty—one of the main contributors of trafficking. These loans go directly to help lift people out of a system of poverty that empowers them with choices.

Learn more at : World Vision, Hagar, or KIVA

Things You Can Do With a Little Planning

1) You can raise money for families to adopt. Adoption is a great way to combat trafficking in certain parts of the world. An example, I (Joel, co-founder) first learned of trafficking from a friend who had adopted two children from Vietnam. He shared how children were going to the dump to scrounge for food. While at the dump, 5yr olds often times were tested for “market”. I cried when I heard this.  Adoption can make a difference. Team up with others and pool your money on behalf of someone wanting to adopt.

2) You can help establish a place or even a network where teenagers can run to a safe place. The truth is, the estimated 300,000 American teenage-runaways feed human trafficking. The numbers show if a teenager runs from home and is not found within 96 hours, the likely-hood is, they will never come home. We need safe places where youth can go to find help in order to avoid the risk of being on the streets and dangers of traffickers.

3) Go on a trip and help build an orphanage. We at Hope & Rescue are looking to head to Cambodia in partnership with an organization building orphanages. This group already has a track record of helping sustain four villages through agricultural means. Their next step is to construct an orphanage. These efforts have come about because of a 12 yr old girl from their village went looking for work and ended up being trafficked. If you would like to know more, please email us at orphanagetrip@hopeandrescue.org

Purchase FAIR TRADE Products

Although Hope & Rescue is not certified as FAIR TRADE producer, we encourage people to buy FAIR TRADE Products.  You can learn more at www.transfairusa.org

Doing something immediately is as easy as making a difference with your next purchase. Use the power of your dollar to vote for Fair Trade products–look for opportunities in the marketplace to make a positive difference. Bring hope to those working towards sustainability and be a force of  change.

“We believe the rise of the Conscious Consumer will cause a fundamental shift in the way companies do business and create a historic opportunity to reward companies that embrace sustainability.”