Over $1.2 Million Awarded to Assist Victims of Human Trafficking

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced $1,298,000 in grants to five organizations to expand efforts to identify and serve victims of human trafficking.

These new grantees are part of ACF's “Rescue and Restore” victims of human trafficking regional program which concentrates local efforts to increase public awareness and identify victims. Each Rescue and Restore regional partner oversees and builds the capacity of a local anti-trafficking network by awarding 60 percent of grant funds to grassroots organizations that identify and work with victims.

“These new partners will get more people at the local level involved in rescuing modern-day slaves,” said Daniel C. Schneider, acting assistant secretary of ACF. “By coordinating regional anti-trafficking efforts, they will bring together dedicated social service providers, local government officials, health care professionals, leaders of faith-based and community organizations and law enforcement personnel – all of whom are instrumental in this fight.”

Regional grantees will increase the number of victims identified in their communities, assist victims in leaving the circumstances of their exploitation and connect them to vital services through HHS and its partners.

The funds, administered by ACF's Office of Refugee Resettlement, were awarded to the following new grantees:

• Houston Rescue and Restore Coalition - $282,000
• Catholic Charities of Louisville, Inc. - $240,000
• Colorado Legal Services - $275,000
• Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia - $220,000
• Legal Aid of North Carolina, Inc. - $281,000

Under the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000, HHS is designated as the agency responsible for helping victims of human trafficking become eligible to receive benefits and services. As part of this effort, HHS initiated the Rescue and Restore victims of human trafficking campaign to help identify and assist victims of human trafficking in the United States .

For more information please visit: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking/index.html

###

Note: All ACF news releases, fact sheets and other materials are available at www.acf.hhs.gov/opa/index.html.