It's That Simple To Make An Impact

I hear many people ask the question "What can I do?"  I heard at a conference not too long ago that if you don't know what to do then find someone who does and help them.  Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) knows what to do.  They recognize that truck stops are a prime spot where trafficking happens.  They recognize that truckers are the eyes and ears of the nation's highways and are in a unique position to identify potential victims. 

 

A while back our group had the chance to hear a representative from TAT speak.  One of our volunteers was so impacted by that talk that she has stepped out and taken action.  She took a bunch of the TAT wallet cards that were available that night and carries them around in her car.  Each time she sees a truck parked somewhere she will go over and hand the driver one of the cards and tell them to call the number listed on it if they should ever see anything suspicious. 

 

I was with her one of the times she did this and was able to get a picture of her in action.  She explained to the trucker who TAT was, what they were about and how he could help.  He was very open to speaking with her and said that he had many friends that were on the road trucking and that he would share it with them.  He also said he would post something on his Facebook page. Our volunteer simply spent 5-10 minutes talking to this trucker, but the rippling effect of those few minutes is now going to reach many more.  It's that simple to make an impact!

She has also inspired me.  I now have a sandwich baggie full of TAT wallet cards in my car. 

You can visit the Truckers Against Trafficking website to learn more about their organization and how you can get involved.  Take the time to watch the training video posted on their home page.  I guarantee it will leave you with the desire to do something. 

They have materials that can be ordered right from the website.  Maybe you want to order wallet cards just like our volunteer has and keep them in your car.  A wallet card just like this can have an impact like this story from the TAT website:

Mr. Speaker, Mike, a truck driver, pulled over at a rest stop. He noticed a young girl approaching multiple trucks. The girl, who was clearly under age, came up to his cab and offered him sex for money. She seemed scared, and he asked her a few questions. She told him that, if she did not bring in enough money for her trafficker, the beatings by him would get worse. Thank goodness she had the courage to call for help. Mike understood the signs of human trafficking through an organization called Truckers Against Trafficking. He called the National Human Trafficking Resource Center, and authorities immediately arrived. The trafficker was arrested, put in jail, and the girl was rescued. I commend Truckers Against Trafficking. It is critical for our citizens to be educated about sex trafficking so we can end this scourge. America cannot continue to be blissfully silent while modern-day slavery is occurring in our communities. And that's just the way it is.
-Congressman Ted Poe addressing the House Floor on 2-15-13