Deuteronomy 15:11: “For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.”
Today begins the first of a series of outreaches that I have planned for 2012. For the past three years I have been an active contributor to the Comic Creators Alliance, a group of comic creators who do an annual fundraiser for Gracehaven and Love 146, two shelter and rehab organizations for survivors of human trafficking. One would think that slavery is a thing of the past, but the fact remains that it is alive and well both in America and around the world. What is my stake in this? I don’t know what it is like to be a victim of human trafficking. But I am a survivor of domestic violence and so I have a bit of insight of how it feels to be trapped in a terrible situation with no hope of escape. Let me tell you more about these programs and what they are up against:
We’re a group of Comic Book Creators, who have come together, volunteering our artistic talents to raise money for the purpose of ending human trafficking in the world today.
There are currently 27 million enslaved people worldwide- more than double the number of enslaved Africans during the trans-Atlantic slave trade. UNICEF estimates that 1.2 million children every year are sold into slavery, most of it sexual. The US Department of Justice estimates 16,000 victims of human trafficking are brought into the United States every year.
Webcomic Creators from all over the world are working together on a single drawing which will be available as a downloadable wallpaper for readers who donate to our fund raising drive! January 9th – 20th!
Want to participate? Find out what you need to do to get involved here!
100% of the donations will be split between Love 146 and Gracehaven!
Children are being trafficked and raped daily and slavery is one of the darkest stories on our planet. This physical, mental and emotional trauma can leave children broken and scarred for life. Interventions for these children are critical to their survival and restoration. For us, the hope of abolition is a realitytoday.Love146 works toward the abolition of child sex slavery and exploitation through Prevention and Aftercare programs. Love 146 was named an “Agent of Change” by GQ Magazine and recently earned the MySpace Impact Award for social justice. Love146 continues to be recognized as a leader in the fight to end modern day slavery.
Gracehaven is a faith-based non-profit organization started in 2008 for the expressed purpose of providing shelter, security, and rehabilitation to girls under the age of 18 who are victims of commercial sexual exploitation in central Ohio. Gracehaven is a long-term rehabilitation facility allowing girls to stay as needed until they reach the age of 18. We will then help them transition to the next step in their life. While at Gracehaven, the girls will be able to earn their GED, as well as receive counseling and treatment for the horrible trauma and exploitation they have been forced to endure. Gracehaven is in the process of purchasing a house situated on 10 acres in an undisclosed location in NW Ohio. Once renovated, the house will be large enough to hold up to 10 girls at a time.
Today I contacted Lora Innes, the founder of this amazing project, and informed her I would be contributing a percentage of my comic sales to our cause. This promotion isn’t about my own gain. It’s not about me. Whether you like my stories or not–even if you buy my comic and throw it away–know that proceeds from it are going to a cause that I truly care about.
Sometimes it seems like the bad guys never go away. But if we all just reach out and try, each in our own way to take care of each other, we can change things. One person at a time.
Deuteronomy 15:11: “For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.”
