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Dear HTAP friend,
Wow, what an exciting month we have had. My trip to New York City for the UN Commission on the Status of Women was filled with fantastic workshops, exciting receptions hosted by CSW/NGO's and UNICEF and then presenting at the Zonta sponsored parallel event.
Meanwhile, we have been planning our first signature fundraiser "Bling Bash to Smash Slavery" to be held on April 6.
We've also been conducting trainings for our Point of Contact, Point of Rescue program and hired an Operations Coordinator.
And we are planning lots of ARTREACH programs for the late Spring and Summer. Read all about it!!
Nola Theiss, Executive Director |
We are now planning our upcoming ARTREACH programs with one starting in April and at least 2 more planned for the summer. If you are interested in having an ARTREACH or TIPS program as part of your summer or afterschool programs, please contact us. If you'd like to be trained so you can hold one yourself, please contact us. |
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Thank you to the
The Sanibel Eileen Fisher store which hosted a fundraiser day for HTAP on February 22 where we raised over $2200. Second from the left in the photo is our new Operations Coordinator, Yvonne Luckett.
Eileen Fisher Sanibel Store,
Cip's Place Restaurant and Forever Green Shops for hosting the Bling Bash.
Special thanks to Zonta International for inviting Nola to participate in the parallel event at CSW.
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What's Happening in Your Community
Presentation and UNICEF Reception
ZI President Lynn McKenzie and Nola Theiss
Nola Theiss, Executive Director of Human Trafficking Awareness Partnerships (HTAP), spoke at a parallel event during the 57th U.N. Commission of the Status of Women (CSW) Conference in New York City. The panel "NGO Roles in Advocacy and Service to End Trafficking in Persons" was held on March 6 during the 12 day conference and was presented by Zonta International. These events are sponsored by governments and non-governmental organizations as part of the CSW.
HTAP has belonged to the UN Commission on the Status of Women NGO group for over 5 years, but this was the first time a representative from HTAP was able to go to the Commission events. It was especially an honor to be asked by Zonta International to speak at a parallel workshop sponsored by them. Representatives from Eileen Fisher Foundation, which has supported HTAP as its North American human trafficking honoree, attended the event.
Nola's role was to present a summary of human trafficking in the United States and HTAP's innovative prevention programs for youth. Speaking with other experts from Europe and a filmmaker who has produced films on human trafficking, the panel "NGO Roles in Advocacy and Service to End Trafficking in Persons" was one of the parallel events held during the 12 day conference. Nola says, "It was a great honor to be asked to share what we are doing to a capacity audience at the U.N. workshop." Nola will also lead a workshop at Zonta International's North American Inter-District Conference in June in Ontario. |
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The First Annual
Bling Bash to Smash Slavery!
Our First Annual "Bling Bash to Smash Slavery" on April 6th at the Forever Green Shops on Sanibel Island is on track and ready to go. All proceeds will go toward HTAP's prevention and awareness and training programs.
There will be jewelry available for purchase from four local jewelry designers. Colleen Crandall, Patricia O'Hara, Lindy Holt, and Wendy Miller will all be present, selling their jewelry and donating a portion of the day's sales to HTAP. The jewelry designers prefer that payments be made in either cash or checks. Each designer has donated a piece for our live auction.
We will also have available for purchase previously loved jewelry that has been donated to HTAP for this special event. The jewelry will be featured on a themed table called "From Downton Abbey to Abbey Road", reflecting the
eclectic jewelry that has been collected over the past few months. Cash or checks are preferred for these event activities.
Local jewelers from Sanibel and Lee County have contributed beautiful pieces and/or generous gift certificates. So far these stores include Cedar Chest, Shiny Objects, William E. Wilson Jewelers, Dunkin's Diamonds, B. Franklin Jewelers, Best of Everything and You Look Mahvalous. A beautiful Luc Century vase etched with baby snowy plovers has been donated.
Auction items are coming in every day!
We have received vouchers for a three day, two night stay at South Seas Island Resort on Captiva Island, a two night stay at the Hyatt Regency in Bonita Springs, and Sanibel Harbour Resort has donated a dinner for two on their yacht. We also have a three hour photo shoot session from Frantz Photography, theater tickets to The Broadway Palm, The Florida Repertory Theatre, and Barbara B. Mann Theatre, and excursions with Tarpon Day Explorers, Adventures in Paradise, and Billy's Bike Shop. Tribeca Salon, Sanibel Beauty Salon and Tips and Toez are all offering beauty experiences and products. Additionally, many island and Lee County restaurants have offered generous gift certificates so you can show off your beautiful jewelry over dinner!
It's not too late to contribute to the auction items.
Hors d'oeuvres will be provided by Cip's Place Restaurant as well as a cash bar where a share and tips will be donated to HTAP. Cip's Place Restaurant will also be donating a portion of the evening's sales from all of the diners who mention HTAP to their server.
Please be sure to mark your calendars and help us to make this a smashing event and a good way to help us in our work to smash slavery.
If you can't come to the Bling Bash in person, you can still aid the cause by making a contribution by clicking on the DONATE button below.
If you would like to be a part of the action and volunteer, we're using VolunteerSpot (the leading online signup and reminder tool) to organize our upcoming activity.
Please sign up for Bling Bash to Smash Slavery - here's how it works in 3 easy steps:
2. Enter your email address (You will NOT need to register an account on VolunteerSpot)
3. Sign up! Choose your spots - VolunteerSpot will send you an automated confirmation and reminders. Easy!
Note: VolunteerSpot does not share your email address with anyone. If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact me and I can sign you up manually. |
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Point of Contact, Point of RescueTrainings have begun
HTAP's newest program, in collaboration with ACT and Catholic Charities, is underway. This new program raises community awareness by training employees of businesses, hospitals and shopping malls about human trafficking and how to recognize signs of trafficking. We know the victims are out there and they need to be found and helped.
We have included members of the Lee County Sheriff's Office, the Lee County School District and the Department of Children and Families in the planning process as they are essential to the success of Point of Contact, Point of Rescue.
We have developed an easily identifiable logo (see above), protocols for employees to report possble victim sightings, and trainings for the employees and law enforcement. We are also training hotline personnel who will receive incoming calls from employees and law enforcement. We are currently training police officers on responding to possible human trafficking sightings, the policies and laws that affect victims of human trafficking, and protocols in place for the Point of Contact, Point of Rescue program. We have begun training mall security personnel and using their observations and comments to improve the trainings. Our next target groups are hospitals and medical facilities as well as restaurants, convenience stores, and bus stations.
As the program continues, we recognize more and more locations that may need to be reached. For example, in a Southwest Florida Regional Coalition Against Human Trafficking meeting last month, it was pointed out that some traffickers may be using the free internet at public libraries to solicit johns and sell girls.
If you would like to make us aware of a location you believe may need attention, you us at nola@humantraffickingawareness.org or give the office a call at 239-415-2635.
As always, we are willing to share our materials with other groups in Southwest Florida and beyond.
A special thanks to the SWFL Community Foundation for their support of this program.
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