Campus Organization Fights Human Trafficking
For $500, you could buy eight textbooks, 120 “Momma’s Love” sandwiches from Momma Goldberg’s or 200 glasses of lemonade from Toomer’s Drugs. For $500, you could also save a life.
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The International Justice Mission (IJM) is an international human rights organization dedicated to freeing victims of human trafficking and other forms of oppression such as domestic violence and bonded labor. In the past two years, the Auburn University chapter has raised over $3,500, saving seven lives.
“We have raised a lot of money relative to the amount of time we have been on campus,” said Grace Ann Hollis, president and founder of the Auburn University chapter.
Hollis, a junior in accounting, started the organization when she was a freshman at Auburn after participating in IJM during high school. Although there are only 20 members who attend all meetings, Hollis remains positive about the organization’s growth.
“It’s really starting to gain momentum on campus,” Hollis said. “There are a lot of organizations coming to us to get involved. We’re growing, and we’re really proud of that.”
Most of the money raised by Auburn’s chapter of IJM goes to IJM headquarters in Washington, D.C. The money is then either sent abroad or used to free victims within the states.
“In the U.S., it’s not as publicized as it should be,” Hollis said. “There will be a storefront that looks like a salon or massage place that disguises a brothel underground. It’s so under the radar that people have gotten creative with how they get involved.”
The International Justice Mission has a national partnership with Campus Crusade for Christ, but Hollis would like to have the Auburn chapter partner with other organizations on campus as well.
“I would love for the whole campus to know about the issues of human trafficking and human oppression in general,” Hollis said. “Atlanta is one of the top trafficking cities in the United States, and we’re only an hour and a half from there, so I think it’s important for students to understand these issues.”
Currently, IJM is running a “Give for Rescue and Transformation” texting campaign. Simply by texting “FREEDOM” to 20222, a one-time donation of $10 can be sent to IJM and added to your mobile phone bill.
In addition to the texting campaign, the Auburn University chapter will host additional fundraising efforts this year, including an alternative spring break.
“We are also doing an alternate spring break, and we’re trying to go to Los Angeles to do more with the issues here in the U.S. of human oppression,” Hollis said. “I would love to see a lot of students go, and it be something that happens every year.”
For more information on the International Justice Mission and the Auburn University chapter, go to www.ijm.org or visit the Auburn IJM Facebook page. Meetings are held on Thursdays at 7 p.m. in Room 2107 of the Student Center.
Find more videos like this on Auburn Family
The International Justice Mission (IJM) is an international human rights organization dedicated to freeing victims of human trafficking and other forms of oppression such as domestic violence and bonded labor. In the past two years, the Auburn University chapter has raised over $3,500, saving seven lives.
“We have raised a lot of money relative to the amount of time we have been on campus,” said Grace Ann Hollis, president and founder of the Auburn University chapter.
Hollis, a junior in accounting, started the organization when she was a freshman at Auburn after participating in IJM during high school. Although there are only 20 members who attend all meetings, Hollis remains positive about the organization’s growth.
“It’s really starting to gain momentum on campus,” Hollis said. “There are a lot of organizations coming to us to get involved. We’re growing, and we’re really proud of that.”
Most of the money raised by Auburn’s chapter of IJM goes to IJM headquarters in Washington, D.C. The money is then either sent abroad or used to free victims within the states.
“In the U.S., it’s not as publicized as it should be,” Hollis said. “There will be a storefront that looks like a salon or massage place that disguises a brothel underground. It’s so under the radar that people have gotten creative with how they get involved.”
The International Justice Mission has a national partnership with Campus Crusade for Christ, but Hollis would like to have the Auburn chapter partner with other organizations on campus as well.
“I would love for the whole campus to know about the issues of human trafficking and human oppression in general,” Hollis said. “Atlanta is one of the top trafficking cities in the United States, and we’re only an hour and a half from there, so I think it’s important for students to understand these issues.”
Currently, IJM is running a “Give for Rescue and Transformation” texting campaign. Simply by texting “FREEDOM” to 20222, a one-time donation of $10 can be sent to IJM and added to your mobile phone bill.
In addition to the texting campaign, the Auburn University chapter will host additional fundraising efforts this year, including an alternative spring break.
“We are also doing an alternate spring break, and we’re trying to go to Los Angeles to do more with the issues here in the U.S. of human oppression,” Hollis said. “I would love to see a lot of students go, and it be something that happens every year.”
For more information on the International Justice Mission and the Auburn University chapter, go to www.ijm.org or visit the Auburn IJM Facebook page. Meetings are held on Thursdays at 7 p.m. in Room 2107 of the Student Center.
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