July  2013                                                                   Vol 2, Number 8
HTAP Logo

  Nola for personal letter

 

Dear HTAP friend,

 
Welcome to the summer. I just spent a few days in Ontario and it was hot there, but it's really hot in sunny Florida.
 
Speaking of hot, we wanted to get some information out to you that is "hot off the presses", including the new Trafficking in Persons report so we've provided a link for you.
 
We've also provided links for some great ideas developed by 3 Zonta Clubs and are repeating the link for "10 Things Men and Boys Can Do to Stop Human Trafficking" We are currently posting one of those 10 things on our Facebook page each day and are getting some great dialogue from it. Maybe you'd want to do it too.
 
AND OUR OTHER BIG NEWS:
We have revamped our website.  After 8 years of the same format, we enlisted the help of Charlene Rains, website genius, to spiff it up and make it more readable and useable. It should officially be online by July 8.
We have had so many comments about how useful our website is and now it will be pretty to look at and easy to use. We can hardly wait!!
 
Nola Theiss, Executive Director

Bling Bash 2014

 

  Mark your calendars now: Bling Bash 2014 will be held on April 5 at the Forever Green Shopping Center on Sanibel from 3 to 6 pm.

 

 

Bling Bash to Smash Slavery

Jewelry Request

 

As you know from our previous newsletter in April, our signature fundraising event, Bling Bash to Smash Slavery was a huge success! Therefore, we are starting to gear up for next year's event. The cornerstone feature of the event was the "previously loved jewelry" that was donated by our supporters and we are seeking more this time around.

 

 

If you are a part of a women's group or social club, ask your members for donations of  jewelry at your next gathering or hold a jewelry collection party. Make room in your jewelry box for new pieces by donating the pieces you no longer wear.

We love to get all kinds of jewelry! If we can't sell it, we use it as part of our ARTREACH projects for kids.  

Like any other donation, you will receive a receipt regarding your tax deductible donation.

This year we received donations from as far away as North Carolina!

 

You can either mail your "previously loved jewelry" to HTAP,  PO Box 1113, Sanibel, FL 33957 or you can call the HTAP office in Ft. Myers,

239-415-2635, to coordinate a drop off.  

Southwest Florida Regional Coalition Against

Human Trafficking  

 
The SWFLRegional Coalition Against Human Trafficking is meeting on July 25th at 10 am in Hendry County on 1140 Pratt Blvd, LaBelle, FL 33935 and in Lee County on July 26th at 10 am at the Lee County School District Building at 2855 Colonial Blvd, Ft. Myers.
  
The Regional Coalition is planning  planning a community "Slave Free Day" in January for the entire Southwest Florida region. More information will be in the next newsletter. For information about upcoming meetings and events, you can call Allison at 239-415-2635.
  
Many of the members of the Coalition are collaborating on the Point of Contact, Point of Rescue program with HTAP. We hope to expand the program to Hendry-Glades and Charlotte Desoto Counties soon.   
  
The SWFL Regional Coalition Against Human Trafficking has been serving the Southwest Florida community over the past 8 years.

 

Upcoming Events

 

Here is a tentative schedule of events planned for HTAP out of the Southwest Florida area. If you are near one of these locations, let us know and we will give you further information about the event.

  

  

July 18-20:

Melbourne, FL

  

August 22-24

Savannah, GA

  

September 10-11: 

Orlando, FL

 

September 25-27 

Toledo,, OH

 

October 10-12

Akron, OH

 

January 10-12

Gulf Shores, AL

 

February 6-8

Austin, TX

 

 

Thank You!

           
Thank you to Wells Fargo for their generous grant for operating costs. We really appreciate it.
  
Thank you to the Lee County Alliance of Legal Professionals for their generous donation which we are using to support our programs.
  
In both cases, these are the second grants we have received from these organizations and we are pleased to receive their continuing support.
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What's Happening in Your Community  

 

Representatives of Zonta Clubs attending the conference from District 11:

10 Southern States, Puerto Rico, The Bahamas and British Virgin Islands

    

Zonta North American Inter-District Meeting in   Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

 

Having just returned from a fabulous meeting of Zonta Clubs from the United States and Canada, I am so impressed with how important service clubs are in the effort to fight trafficking on a local level and as part of a global effort. As a long term Zonta member myself, it was a pleasure to be able to present a workshop on "Developing a Club Strategy to Fight Trafficking". The best part was that I was able to give clubs in Yakima, Washington; Pinellas County, Florida: and the Pikes Peak Area of Colorado an opportunity to highlight their great work. 

 

Part of HTAP's mission is to "empower individual communities to take action through education, training and coordination of resources and to create partnerships of informed communities to share information, experiences and programs..." and this workshop was a living example of how much we can all benefit from sharing our successes and even our failures.

 

Here are links to the handouts the 3 clubs provided, describing their great programs. 

 

Yakima Valley 

Pikes Peak 

 Pinellas

 

Service clubs with similar missions to Zonta's "to advance the status of women worldwide through service and advocacy", like Soroptimist International, have also promoted work against human trafficking as have other service and faith based organizations working on human rights advocacy. I have loved every opportunity to work with them and to make friends along the way.  

 

 

 

Raising Funds Through Poker Runs!

 

 

 

We would like to send out a HUGE "Thank You!" to the Women in the Wind - Island Breeze Chapter motorcycle club for hosting a successful Poker Run, raising funds to benefit HTAP! The event raised over $600 and we were able to raise awareness of human trafficking through riding in the Southwest Florida community with HTAP's "Slavery Stops with You" t-shirts. The poker run went through Fort Myers, up to Arcadia, over to Punta Gorda, and then returning to Fort Myers. It was a great way to raise funds and community awareness through a unique venue.

 

 

 

We greatly appreciate all of those who came out, participated in the Poker Run, purchased a HTAP shirt, and helped HTAP in continuing our mission to raise awareness of human trafficking! 

We especially want to thank Ada Doering who spearheaded this event. Ada, as a leader of the Alliance of Legal Professionals, also arranged a donation for HTAP as their designated charity this year.The Women in the Wind-Island Breeze Chapter also contributed jewelry for and attended the Bling Bash. We feel that we won great support all around from this group! 

 

If you are interested in ordering a "Slavery Stops with You" shirt, contact the office at 239-415-2635

Introducing HTAP's Summer Intern!

 

Meet Manushka! 

  

Manushka is our summer intern. She loves the ARTREACH program, especially working with students, organizing and guiding them. Once the paintings are completed, Manushka does touch ups and prepares the paintings to be photographed and exhibited. She enjoys working for HTAP, especially being involved with other children and seeing them become aware of the world of human trafficking.

 

Manushka attended an ARTREACH program in the Fall of 2012 and later was featured in the local newspaper advocating for children in foster care. Her  positive attitude and the role of advocacy she took in her community made a lasting impression with HTAP. Manushka is a foster child and will be a senior in High School and plans on becoming a Psychologist or Attorney (maybe both).

 

She has helped advocate for the Florida Normalcy Bill and attended the bill signing where she met Governor Rick Scott. She also helped in the passing of Independent Living Bill 1315 Senate Bill 1036, which extends the age of foster care to 21, through her testimony in front of the Florida Senate and House of Representatives in Tallahassee. She did all this through her involvement in Florida Youth Shine, an organization of young adults who either have been or are in the foster care system and are working to make a positive change for those who are currently in the foster care system.

She has learned more about human trafficking through HTAP's ARTREACH program and other sponsored events. She is a part of the Fort Myers police department's Young LEO's (Leaders Educating Others) where she mentors at the Boys and Girls Club.

 

This internship is Manushka's her first job and we at HTAP are happy to have her on board.

 

(Written jointly by Manushka and HTAP staff.)

Artreach Logo
ARTREACH is spreading its wings. Two programs based on our template  were held in Colorado Springs this Spring. We will be conducting 2 Train the Trainer classes in Savannah, GA in August, one on ARTREACH and another on TIPS. Part of the HTAP mission is to develop resources and share programs with other groups. We welcome you to share with us too. For more information, please contact us at [email protected].
 
 Back in Southswest Florida, we have been very busy with our prevention and awareness programs over these past few months. Beginning in April through the beginning of June we worked with girls from The Heights Center in Fort Myers. The Heights Center is a brand new community building in the neighborhood of Harlem Heights, FL. The Heights Center acts as resource for all community members, ranging from children to senior citizens. It is currently exhibiting ARTREACH paintings in their art gallery.

They run after-school and summer programs for kids and teens. They support education with necessary resources in hopes of ultimately breaking the cycle of poverty. We worked with five girls over five weeks, producing one large painting. We will be conducting the ARTREACH program for a second time during the week of July 15th, joining The Heights Center for their summer camp program. We will be making a banner of all the Heights paintings after the summer program.

  

In May, we brought ARTREACH to Our Mother's Home, a group foster home for teenage girls who either are pregnant or who have children of their own. Our Mother's Home is an amazing, unique resource for a population that is easily forgotten about. These children need love and attention and Our Mother's Home provides just that. We were able to work with a total of ten girls and two paintings were produced. We worked with other girls at Our Mother's Home last summer and it was such a success, that we were asked to bring ARTREACH to the home once more.

 

During the week of July 8-12, we will be conducting an ARTREACH program for the Boys and Girls Club summer camp in Bonita Springs. This will be our first opportunity to work with this group. but it is our second ARTREACH program to be conducted in Bonita Springs, FL.

 

Our ARTREACH program would not have been so successful if we did not have the help of our AMAZING volunteers. Thank you to all of those who took time to help HTAP and the kids whom we were able to reach through our programs. You do not have to have art expertise or special skills. These kids need adults who can encourage them and guide them, though anyone with art experience or Spanish skills is very welcome. And who doesn't like to paint and have fun with kids?

 

If you would like to volunteer, we have plenty of opportunities coming up in the month of July. We have scheduled two programs:

 

The Boys and Girls Club: Bonita Springs

Dates: July 8 - 12

Times: 10 am - 12pm

Address: 26120 Pueblo Bonito Blvd., Bonita Springs, FL 34135

Needs: Spanish speakers, art instructors and general helpers

There will be approximately 14 kids and we'll need about 3-4 volunteers, including someone with art experience.

 

The Heights Center

Dates: July 15 - 19

Times: TBA - morning time

Address: 15570 Hagie Drive, Fort Myers, FL

Needs: Art instructor, helpers

We are waiting for an approximate kid count as well as the program times. We will be sure to get back to you on the exact times and kid count.

 

If you would like to volunteer, please email [email protected] or give our office a call at 239-415-2635. 

 

 

 

Point of Contact, Point of Rescue 
Summer 2013 Update

 

 

Diligent work is being conducted by HTAP, Abuse Counseling and Treatment, Catholic Charities and the Southwest Florida Regional Coalition Against Human Trafficking on Point of Contact, Point of Rescue, our collaborative education and training program funded by the Southwest Florida Community Foundation
 and the Junior League of Ft. Myers. In addition to training mall security, first responders, hotline operators and restaurant employees and managers, we have made strong connections with Lee Memorial Healthcare System regarding training their medical staff as well as outpatient facilities under the Point of Contact, Point of Rescue protocol.

 

In a pilot program, we have trained over 80 of the Emergency Room Staff at Gulf Coast Medical Center in Ft. Myers during their summer training sessions on key indicators of how to recognize the signs of a possible human trafficking victim in the patients they see and how to report the case so victims may receive vital and necessary services. We are scheduled to train more of the Lee Memorial Healthcare System Staff in the upcoming Fall months.

 

We are currently visiting all the fast food and late night restaurants, like McDonald's, Wendy's, Denny's and IHOP in Lee County, providing them with informative packs regarding trainings for their staff under the Point of Contact, Point of Rescue protocol. We are hoping that this will kick start our plans to train the local restaurant industry on how to recognize the signs of human trafficking and how to report any possible victims of trafficking. We are also working with the Florida Attorney General's Office which has initiated a similar program in the last few months.

 

If you would like to make us aware of a location you believe may need attention, please contact us at [email protected] or give the office a call at 239-415-2635. If you would like to volunteer by distributing packets to restaurants and businesses or help us make contacts with the managers or owners of these restaurants, please email [email protected]

   

 As always, we are willing to share our materials with other  groups in Southwest Florida and beyond. We have wall posters for break rooms and offices and folded wallet size cards with the signs of trafficking and the protocol for reporting signs of trafficking available at no cost.

 

A special thanks to the Southwest Florida Community Foundation and the Junior League of Fort Myers for their support of this program.

 

If it's June, it must be time for the annual Trafficking in Persons Report.
 
Click here:
 
Even if you don't read it all, read the introduction and read the narratives on your country and other countries you care about. The pdf is divided into logical chunks which makes it easy to download. You will learn new facts about trafficking (40,000 victims were identified last year worldwide), will read new research, and read case studies and quotes from world figures like Pope Francis which show the world's commitment to ending slavery.
 
 
Ten Things Men & Boys can do to Stop Human Trafficking
 

 

Once again, we are suggesting you use this wonderful resource  to educate men and boys about their role of men and boys in the fight against human trafficking. This is a great learning and thought stimulation tool. Put it on your facebook page or website or share it with family members. You will be hearing more and more about the movement to engage men and boys in the anti-trafficking movement in the future.
 
Click here: 10 Things
 
And one more thing. A new website has been published www.madeinafreeworld.org which extends the information on the slave footprint website. It is definitely worth looking at.
  
 

 

 

  

Read.Recommend/Act

Read/Recommend/Act Campaign

 

We believe that the more available information about human trafficking is, the more likely it is that people will learn and take action.

 

We added two new books to the list this month, "Bitter Chocolate" by Carol Off, and if you want to quit your chocolate habit, this book will help you do it when you realize how terrible the related slavery issues in the past and the present are.  The history of slavery associated with chocolate extends from the Central America to South America to Africa and continues today. If you need an incentive to join in the effort to make  one of our favorite foods slave free, read this book.

 

"The Forgotten" is popular fiction, but it brings home the impact of human trafficking on the victims and the communities it touches. More people will probably read it than all the other books combined due to the popularity of the author.

  • Read these books and learn more about human trafficking.
  • Recommend these books to your local library and bookstores and encourage others to read and buy these books.
  • Act on what you've learned. (One recommendation is to start working with your library to showcase Human Trafficking books during January, Human Trafficking Awareness month.)

HTAP's Recommended Reading List

 

The Big Picture:

*"A Crime So Monstrous" by E. Benjamin Skinner

*"Ending Slavery: How we Free Today's Slaves" by Kevin Bales

*"Half the Sky" by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn

*"Not for Sale" by David Batsone

*"In Our Backyard; A Christian Perspective on Human Trafficking in the United States by Nita Belles

* "Invisible Chains: Canada's Underground World of Human Trafficking" by  Benjamin Perrin

 

Child Sex Trafficking:

*"Girls Like Us" by Rachel Lloyd

*"Renting Lacy; A Story of America's Prostituted Children" by Linda Smith

*"Somebody's Daughter" by Julian Sher

*"Stolen Lives" by Jaycee Duggard

*"The Slave Across the Street" by Theresa Flores

*"The Slave Next Door" by Kevin Bales and Ron Soodalter

*"A Walk Across the Sun" by Corbin Addison (fiction)

* "The Child Catchers" by Kathryn Joyce 

 

Demand and the Economic Issues:

*"Bitter Chocolate: The Dark Side of the World's Most Seductive Sweet" by Carol Off (new to the list)

*"The Forgotten" by David Baldacci (fiction) (new to the list)

*"The Johns" by Victor Malarek

*"The Natashas" by Victor Malarek

*"Nobodies" by John Bowe

*"Sex Trafficking: Inside the Business of Modern Slavery" by Siddharth Kara

 

Contact Us: [email protected]

 

239-415-2635       239-292-3834    877-395-1737
 

New Fax number: 239-415-0230

 

Mailing address: PO Box 1113   Sanibel, FL 33957

 

www.humantraffickingawareness.org

 

HTAP is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization which depends primarily on private donations.


 
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