January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and two events this weekend will raise awareness for this very real crime that occurs in our cities and neighborhoods every day. On Friday, Jan. 22 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. the City of Barberton is sponsoring a Change for Change event at El Jalapenos at 1195 Wooster Road West, in Barberton.
On Saturday, Jan. 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Summit County Collaborative against Human Trafficking is sponsoring a free awareness event in the Highland Square Area in Akron.
At the Elms Auditorium, representatives from several local organizations will be available to answer questions and provide information about this issue, as well as refreshments and raffles. The event also will include a free screening of the short documentary “Chosen” along with a presentation from a survivor of human trafficking, starting at 11 a.m. and again at 12:30 p.m.
Additionally, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Highland Square Library, there will be hands-on activities for kids, face painting and a photo booth, as well as information for parents and adults about the issue.
The mission of the Summit County Collaborative Against Human Trafficking is to increase our community’s knowledge of human trafficking through educational efforts to insure individuals are prepared to recognize and properly assist victims of human trafficking.
For more information, visit www.endslaverysummitcounty.org or the group’s Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/CollaborativeAgainstHumanTraffickingSummitCounty.
