Rotary Clubs Fighting Human Trafficking

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Rotary Clubs Fighting Human Trafficking

Rotary Clubs Fighting Human TraffickingRotary Clubs Fighting Human TraffickingRotary Clubs Fighting Human Trafficking
  • HOME
  • ABOUT US
  • RESOURCES
    • INTERNATIONAL
    • NATIONAL / STATE
    • CENTRAL OREGON AREA
    • LOS ANGELES AREA
    • SACRAMENTO AREA
    • SAN DIEGO AREA
  • LEARN MORE
    • ADVOCACY
    • BOOKS
    • EDUCATION
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DISTRICT CONFERENCE INCLUDES ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING PANEL

Saturday,  April 12, 2025, a panel was assembled to speak at RI D5300’s (Orange County, California) District Conference on the issue of Human Trafficking. The panel was moderated by D5300 Governor Michael Driebe. Following the panel discussion, 300 backpacks were assembled by attending Rotarians, to be delivered to nonprofits working with survivors in the Los Angeles County and Orange County regions. 


Pictured at right,: PDG Cozette Vergari, Survivor and Member of the D5300 VTT and RI President’s Rep and Chair of RAGAS (Rotary Action Group Against Slavery, an international organization) Dave McCleary, taking a photo break from the back pack project.


Pictured above, RI President’s Rep and Chair of RAGAS Dave McCleary, PDG Cozette Vergari, D5280 Westchester Rotary Club President Nicole King, D5300 Rotarian from the Pomona Rotary Club, and Survivor and President of D5280 Rotarians Fighting Human Trafficking caused base club, Jenna Bruce standing.

Rotarians Fighting Human Trafficking CLUB gathers to assist the nonprofit, Restoration Diversion Services

    ROTARIANS WRAP HOLIDAY GIFTS FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS

    Eight Rotarians met to wrap 80 holiday gifts for survivors of human  trafficking. A District 5280 Community District Grant, totaling $7000,  which included contributions from the Rotary Clubs of Westchester,  Rotarians Fighting Human Trafficking and RISE, supplied a total of 160  gifts to C.A.S.T. (Coalition Against Slave Trafficking), a non profit  supporting the transition of victims to survivors, with vocational  training and legal support to move forward to a better life.  Pictured  are Rotarians Jenna Bruce, Zoe De La Loza, Randi Elasowich, Jill  Kalbrosky, Ron Kalbrosky, James King, Nicole King and Cozette Vergari.

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    TIM TEBOW FOUNDATION FOCUSES ON ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING EFFOR

    Geoff Maleman, past president of the Rotary Club of Westchester, catches up with former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow in Century City. 


    In partnership with organizations in both the United States and abroad,  the Tim Tebow Foundation is actively fighting against human trafficking  and child exploitation in three ways: Prevention, Rescue, and  Survivor Care.


    The  latest global estimates reported in 2022 show that human trafficking  has increased by nearly 10 million people in the last five years, according to the International Labour Organization, Walk Free, and the International Organization for Migration.  


    Child  sexual exploitation is another horrific evil hidden in the darkness  that is affecting millions of minors across the world. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received nearly 85 million pictures and videos depicting child sexual abuse worldwide in 2021. 
     

    Women, children, and men are being captured, exploited, and abused on a  daily basis in every country around the world. The statistics are  overwhelming, but hope is not lost. The Tim Tebow Foundation is  committed to advancing this fight for the millions who have been  trafficked, exploited and/or who are at risk of becoming victims. 
     

    Through  direct services as well as partnerships with 12 other ministries, the  Tim Tebow Foundation is currently fighting against human trafficking and  child exploitation in 32 countries around the world. The foundation  currently operates 5 safe homes, and partners in 23 more, with 27  additional homes in progress to support survivors as they heal and  transition back into a life of freedom.


    To learn more about the efforts of the Tim Tebow Foundation, please visit: https://timtebowfoundation.org/

    Rotarians Fighting Human Trafficking Rotary Club

    Adopt a  survivor was a great success for our small but mighty club. The D5280  Club of Rotarians Fighting Human Trafficking adopted all of the active  clients currently enrolled in case management services at the Coalition  to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking. We took care of holiday gifts for 40  survivors of human trafficking and their children, where applicable. In  total, $3500 of gifts were donated. We are very grateful to our club  members, partnering rotary clubs, community members, and fellow  Rotarians for helping us accomplish such a great feat.


    Clean  Out Your Closet- For a Cause: Please consider going through your homes  and looking for the above mentioned items. We will be collecting them  and distributing them to survivors of human trafficking. Many of them  are moving into their first apartments since escaping their situations  and have no personal belongings. There are very few items that we aren’t  accepting, so please ask us if you are questioning if we will take  something. As a general rule of thumb, don’t donate anything in a  condition that you wouldn’t wear or use yourself. Please contact Jenna  Bruce with any questions!


    All my best,

    Jenna

    Jenna Bruce

    ohjenna33@gmail.com

    949-648-3219


    Thank you to the participants, who wrapped the approximately 80 gifts:

    Jenna Bruce

    Pamela Bryant

    Randi Elasowich

    Vanessa Galvan Reddix

    Cozette Vergari

    200 Attend Rotary-Sponsored Human Trafficking Program

    Approximately 200 paid $20 to attend a Rotary fundraising event focused on ending human

    trafficking across greater Des Moines, Iowa. Each of the sponsoring clubs matched the funds raised at the Rotary-sponsored event, which added up to a grand total of $40,000. All net proceeds will be donated to local nonprofits fighting human trafficking.


    Presented by the Greater Des Moines Rotary Multi-Club Committee, the event was held at the Hilton Garden Inn in West Des Moines on May 2nd. Participants learned from some of Iowa's local heroes fighting this important issue. Their excellent panel of speakers included:


    • Heather Brown - Human Trafficking Survivor
    • Matthew Stephenson - Director/Learning & Development of Caseys
    • John Jarvey - Retired U.S. Chief Federal Court Judge, Southern District of Iowa
    • Charlotte Kovacs - Victim Witness Specialist, Program Supervisor, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Iowa


    Iowa Rotary District 6000 is made up of 67 local clubs. Twenty of these clubs have formed a Prevent Trafficking Action Team. Each Rotary Club has committed to launching a prevention/education program in their local community. The Des Moines Rotary Multi-Club’s May 2nd event is their major local educational program. The Iowa Network Against Human Trafficking is collaborating with the Rotary Action Team and providing educational materials.

    CREATED BY A ROTARIAN, "The SiGNAL" WINS TELLY AWARD

    Rotarian is working to combat human trafficking with ‘The Signal,’ winner of a 2022 Telly Award

    Rancho Santa Fe Rotarian Don Meredith, together with former Navy pilot and film director

    Doug Lito from West Hollywood, created a short PSA film about human trafficking called “The

    Signal.” The film features the new SOS signal, a quick hand gesture for victims to let bystanders

    subtly know they are in distress and that they “Need HELP, and to Get HELP!”. The film was

    co-directed by Marine Combat Videographer Phillip Elgie and Christina Rheuby.


    The short film, released in January 2019, was recently recognized by the television industry’s

    2022 Telly Awards. The shortened 15-second version has exploded on social media and has had

    over a million views since its release in March 2022.


    The film was inspired by RSF Rotary’s focus on human trafficking. Meredith, who has been a

    Rancho Santa Fe Rotarian for 21 years, listened to multiple speakers at weekly Rotary meetings

    on the topic and became aware of the severity and extensiveness of human trafficking around

    the world. He wanted to help and the idea simply came to him in a dream.


    The impetus now is getting the film and the shortened clip out to as many people as possible so

    that victims are aware of the discrete SOS hand signal and that the general populace knows how

    to recognize the signal and what to do next.


    The national human trafficking hotline is 1-888-373-7888. To view “The Signal” PSA and view

    the 15-second condensed version, go to: sharethesignal.com

    OPTIMIST CELEBRATES CHAMPIONS FOR CHILDREN

    Optimist Youth Homes and Family Service Holds Gala Event

    Each year, we pause to gather, celebrate and support the incredible youth and families served at Optimist Youth Homes and Family Service, a Rotarians Fighting Human Trafficking partner.


    In October, the group celebrated the incredible life-changing work at Optimist and honored two champions for children, Matt Ware and Dennis Andolsek. The group also heard stories of success, including Lourdes Pichardo, a foster parent who has opened her home to over 70 children; the Luppers, a foster family with personal ties to the foster care system; and Dacia, a young lady who, having spent the majority of her childhood in the foster care system, has thrived due to her resiliency and the support of her foster family and staff at Optimist.


    Click here to access a short video from one of our current foster youth.

    OPTIMIST 2022 GALA PHOTOS

    THE APATHY EFFECT EXHIBIT

    Rotary Club of D5280 Rotarians Fighting Human Trafficking


    In recognition of National Slavery And Human Trafficking Prevention  Month, and in partnership with nonprofit iEmpathize,  the cause-based  Rotary Club of D5280 Rotarians Fighting Human Trafficking sponsored “The  Apathy Effect Exhibit,” which was graciously hosted by the Westchester  Family YMCA on January 21st  and 22nd , 2023. The  Exhibit dramatically depicts the horrors of a lucrative criminal  activity, second only to drug trafficking, which impacts and can enslave  ALL ages and genders, as well as all geographic and socio economic  groups.

    ROTARIANS HELP AT SAVING INNOCENCE

    Rotary Club of D5280 Rotarians Fighting Human Trafficking


    "On  Nov. 11, 2022, Margi and Randi met Peju and Sophie at Saving Innocence  to prepare 15 bags for trafficked victims who want to travel outside the  state back home.  Our Rotary club donated the funds to purchase the  items that went into the bags and together we packaged the bags with a  t-shirt, sweatpants, slippers, Addidas slides, a blanket, and hygiene  items such as shampoo/conditioner, toothbrush/toothpaste, lotion,  deodorant, lip balm, and a brush.  After completing the bags we helped  organize bins and bins of donated items into labeled bins that are used  for victims to come and take what they need and also for employees of  Saving Innocence to use for emergency items when called upon to help a  victim in need."


    – Randi Elasowich

    Find out more

    The Signal Team

    A NEW SOS HUMAN TRAFFICKING HAND SIGNAL HAS BEEN DEVELOPED so that victims can discreetly bring awareness to themselves and their situation.

        

    This simple hand signal means
    "Need HELP, Get HELP!"


    Don Meredith, Past President of the Rotary Club of Rancho Santa Fe, California, is working to promote this new hand signal that he hopes will save lives and get human traffiicking victims to safety.


    This is one of several short videos on various media. It is also in Spanish and 9 dialects being deployed in India soon.


    The Signal is proving to be an effective outreach.

    500 Completed Legal Matters!!!

    Dear Friends,

    I’m  thrilled to announce that this week, Free to Thrive completed our 500th  legal matter on behalf of our incredible survivor clients!!!! This  milestone represents hundreds of individual stories and lives changed  forever. Every single legal matter we work on symbolizes a legal barrier  that stands between our clients and freedom from exploitation. Among  these 500 legal matters, we’ve successfully cleared 215 criminal records  through 45 petitions! These matters also include getting law  enforcement agencies to destroy these records pursuant to court orders –  which is sometimes even more difficult than getting the court to make  these orders. When we succeed in clearing a client’s record, it clears a  path to housing, employment and financial stability. We’ve also helped  47 clients obtain restraining orders, 43 get or increase custody of  their children, 13 change their names and/or gender markers, and so much  more!
     

    This work would not be possible without our dedicated staff, board  members, donors, pro bono attorneys, interns, volunteers, and community  partners. This truly is a team effort and YOU are a critical part of  that team. I am beyond grateful for your support and the support of  everyone who makes our work possible.
     

    Thank you so much to those who will be attending our sold out Journey to  Freedom event. If you are not attending in person, I hope you will join  us virtually this Saturday at 7:15 PM PST to celebrate this milestone together. 


    With deepest gratitude,


    Jamie

    Member of Rotary Club of D5280 Rotarians Fighting Human Trafficking

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