October 2013 • Issue 3
In This Issue: • End Human Trafficking • Sustainer News • Fund Development • Holiday Shoppes • Community Collaborations • Kudos • Meeting Briefs • 2013 – 2014 Board and Leadership Teams
END Human Trafficking Save The Date Tuesday, October 8: October GMM • JLS Office • 6 pm: Social • 6:30 pm: Meeting
Thursday, October 31: Halloween
Tuesday, November 12: November GMM • Location TBA
November 15 – 17: Holiday Shoppes
• NYS Fairgrounds Horticulture Building
Human Trafficking Definition: Organized criminal activity in which human beings are treated as possessions to be controlled and exploited (as being forced into prostitution or involuntary labor). — Merriam-Webster Human Trafficking Facts: • Approximately 80% of victims are women and girls • Over 50% of victims are under the age of 18 • 300,000 children in the U.S. are at risk for sexual exploitation • Human Trafficking is a form of organized crime that creates a $32 billion dollar a year underground global industry • New York is the 4th worst state – California, Texas and Florida outrank NYS in terms of a growing Human Trafficking problem. • Anyone can be trafficked: immigrants or American citizens, the elderly or young, male or female. • Human Traffickers prey on vulnerable populations in society such as runaway and homeless youth, impoverished groups/ individuals. Traffickers do not discriminate in choosing victims – College students and children in affluent neighborhoods have been targeted.
This summer was busy with planning for our Human Trafficking Advocacy Campaign. We were busy meeting, creating shirts and signs, posing for photo shoots, and planning for the campaign. Right now we are focused on training our membership on the issue of Human Trafficking and how it affects us right here in our community. The next phase will be educating the community. We are currently working on the “Phases” of the Advocacy campaign and will roll those out soon.
Our Mission Statement: To raise awareness in the community to identify that Human Trafficking is an organized criminal activity in which human beings are treated as possessions, controlled and exploited, and forced into prostitution.
Your voice matters! We have conducted several brainstorming sessions (one with the leadership team and the second at September’s GMM) on our issue of Human Trafficking and our advocacy campaign. If you have any thoughts or ideas to share please reach out to Susan Shubmehl (Active at Large). We will continue to keep everyone up to date on the Advocacy Campaign through the GMMs, NOTES and E-mail Blasts. — Heather Ford Wallace
The Junior League of Syracuse, Inc. • The NOTES • October 2013 | 1