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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Contact: ACF Press Office
(202) 401-9215
Over $1.7 Million Awarded to Fight Human Trafficking,
Provide Assistance to Victims
WASHINGTON, D.C. --- The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced four awards totaling $1,784,083 to help victims of human trafficking in key regions throughout the United States.
“These contracts have gone to groups with a proven track record in the effort to fight human trafficking,” said HHS Assistant Secretary for Children and Families Wade F. Horn, Ph.D. “We look forward to working with these organizations as part of President Bush’s anti-trafficking initiative and seeing the results of their efforts.”
The contracts identify lead organizations, called “intermediaries,” responsible for maintaining coalitions of anti-trafficking organizations in their geographic areas. Each group will spearhead overall educational and outreach efforts related to human trafficking throughout a particular region.
Intermediaries will also be required to assess the human trafficking situation in their respective geographic areas, and make sub-awards of 60 percent of their contracts to other local organizations to raise awareness about human trafficking and assist in identifying and rescuing victims.
Today’s awards to intermediary groups include the following:
- $666,668 to the Immigrants Rights Advocacy Center, for Florida;
- $597,117 to the Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition, for San Diego, Orange and Los Angeles counties in California;
- $348,032 to the Civil Society, for Minnesota; and
- $172,266 to Practical Strategies, for Milwaukee.
HHS is the federal agency responsible for helping victims of human trafficking become eligible to receive benefits and services so they may rebuild their lives safely in the United States. As part of this effort, HHS initiated the Rescue & Restore Victims of Human Trafficking campaign to help identify and assist victims of human trafficking. For more information, go to: www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking.
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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at www.hhs.gov/news