Youth4Abolition Hosts a Community Fundraiser

Charlotte area high schools are hosting a community fundraiser to raise awareness and prevent domestic minor sex trafficking

January 7, 2019

WCCB Charlotte,

In concurrence with National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, Youth4Abolition (Y4A) chapter members from Olympic High School and Nation Ford High School will be hosting ‘Pancakes for Freedom,’ a community breakfast fundraiser to bring awareness about domestic minor sex trafficking in the region. The event will take place next Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019 from 9a.m. to 12p.m. at Good Shepherd Church, 13110 Moss Road, Charlotte, NC 28273. Tickets are $8 at the door and $6 in advance upon registration at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pancakes-for-freedom-tickets-53578388402. There will be a discussion panel of local experts at 11a.m. for those interested in learning more about the issue.

Youth4Abolition is a peer-to-peer anti-human trafficking awareness and prevention program based in Charlotte, N.C. designed for middle school, high school and college students regionally and globally. Funds raised also support On Eagles Wings Ministries (OEW), a 501c3 non-profit and parent organization of Y4A that provides aftercare services to female victims ages 12 to 21 through the OEW Hope House Program held in the region’s only CARF certified residential safe house for domestic minor victims of human trafficking.

“I didn’t know much about human trafficking before I got involved. I always had a passion to educate others and make change by being a voice for other people,” said the Y4A Chapter President of Olympic High School.

Domestic minor sex trafficking is the sexual exploitation of American children ages 0 to 18 within U.S. borders. Every year, an estimated 100,000 to 300,000 children are victims of domestic minor sex trafficking in the U.S. Last year, North Carolina received a grade of “A” in Shared Hope International’s annual Protected Innocence Challenge report, ranking states in the fight against domestic minor sex trafficking. This is an improvement from the state’s grade of “D” in 2011.

“Anyone can become a victim. Once someone my age is educated, they should spread the word to help prevent it from happening to future kids,” said Y4A Chapter President at Nations Ford High School.

Members of Y4A chapters meet each month to learn about human trafficking and plan fundraising and awareness events using an educator-developed curriculum. New chapters continue to be organized at schools, churches and community organizations nationally and globally.