25 Ways You Can be a Force to End Human Trafficking

Here at CCAHT, we are working hard to prepare for the upcoming holidays – and we know that you are too! We know you have that holiday checklist that seems to keep growing by the day and that one of those lines reads “give.” We give money to fundraisers, we give time to family, and we give gifts to one another. As illustrated in the children’s book Rainbow Fish, giving can be difficult in the beginning, but once we see that our “rainbow scales” bring others happiness it can bring us peace and joy. So next time you read your holiday list and you see that “give” line, just remember that giving doesn’t always have to include monetary gifts. For example, this holiday season you can give by pledging to BE A FORCE to end human trafficking in East Tennessee. It’s pretty simple to get involved, and to give you a head start, we’ve listed a few specific ways that you can give back and be a force in your community.

1. Attend a CCAHT volunteer training with a friend this month. Take a look at our calendar to see when the next one is coming up!
2. Start a fundraising campaign with coworkers and friends. This could be anywhere from scavenging pennies to collecting gift cards (Kroger, Walmart, fast food, etc.).
3. Did someone say book club? Read one of our suggested books with friends to learn more about human trafficking. Click here for the list!
4. Write to your congressman/congresswoman about human trafficking and ask him or her what is being done about it in your community.
5. Educate yourself and your friends and family about human trafficking red flags and indicators.
6. Watch a free webinar or check out a TED talk about human trafficking.
7. Save the Tennessee Human Trafficking Hotline number in your phone and share the number with family members and friends (1-855-558-6484).
8. Go to slaveryfootprint.org and see just how much human trafficking affects your life. Share your findings on social media and tag CCAHT!
9. Grab some friends and attend our In Her Shoes training to learn more about a day in the life of a human trafficking survivor.
10. Host a movie night showing a documentary about human trafficking. Our personal favorite is Very Young Girls.
11. Make sure you know how to combat common misconceptions surrounding human trafficking. Can you tell a myth from a fact?
12. Pledge to give at least $10.00 per month to CCAHT – that’s only two grande #pumpkinspicelattes from Starbucks, after all!
13. Form a group in your community to help raise awareness through Hands Across the City.
14. Share news stories and CCAHT blog posts on social media – and don’t forget to tag us in your posts!
15. Teach your children about internet safety. Check out our blog post for internet safety tips!
16. Turn your Amber Alert notifications to the “on” position on your phone.
17. Download the Traffickcam app. Whenever you stay at a hotel, before unpacking your bags or jumping on the beds, snap a picture of your room. Traffickcam adds your photo to a growing database of hotel room images that an investigator can efficiently search in order to find other images that were taken in the same location as an image that is part of an investigation.
18. Be aware of companies that use child labor. You can find a full list on the U.S. Department of Labor website.
19. Advocate for professional trainings about human trafficking at your place of work. Email info@ccaht.org to bring a human trafficking training to your workplace!
20. Set up a Google Alert related to human trafficking to get news about HT sent straight to your inbox.
21. Ask your place of worship to collect money for CCAHT’s BE A FORCE movement.
22. Participate in Giving Tuesday in December.
23. Request a CCAHT speaker to come to your school, church, or community group. Email info@ccaht.org for more information!
24. All those holiday gifts you need to buy? If you’re purchasing from Amazon, visit smile.amazon.com and choose the Community Coalition as your benefiting organization. Part of the proceeds will go to benefit CCAHT!
25. Shopping at Kroger for that holiday ham? Sign up for Kroger Community Rewards and choose CCAHT as your benefiting organization.

These are only a few ways that we can BE A FORCE to end human trafficking in Knoxville and East Tennessee. Learning more about the issue and raising awareness in our social circles can go a long way, and when we all do our part to do a little, it can affect change in a BIG way.

Have more ideas about how to BE A FORCE to end human trafficking in your community, school, or workplace? Shoot us a message or tag us in a social media post sharing your ideas (and don’t forget to tag #BEAFORCE)!