|
To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE
Moving Crews Train to Become Heroes in the War on Human Trafficking"One person recognizing something that looks wrong and calling for help can save someone's life." -Jamie Bond Ciancio, a human trafficking expert at Place of Hope.
You've heard it before. What if it were your kid who got chosen last on the playground or who was bullied? But when asked in the context of human trafficking, this question takes on a far deeper and more harrowing meaning. What if it were your child? This simple yet poignant question leads to heartbreaking reflection for any parent. "That's something I can't even answer, I can't imagine," said Aneudy Vargas. Aneudy Vargas was one of the Good Greek Moving and Storage team members who participated in an inaugural class aimed at combatting human trafficking. Good Greek, in partnership with the leading anti-trafficking organization Place of Hope, is taking a bold step to address this issue. Good Greek's over 600 truckers and movers are becoming a force to fight human trafficking by learning how to spot the hidden epidemic that often occurs in plain sight. Through their Superhero Movers Academy in West Palm Beach, these movers are learning not just to uphold high standards on the job, but also to become real-life heroes for those in need. Human trafficking is a national crisis that has been made worse by border issues, and addressing it requires a vigilant "see something, say something" approach. "One person recognizing something that looks wrong and calling for help can save someone's life," said Jamie Bond Ciancio, a human trafficking expert at Place of Hope. Though human trafficking is an international problem, it hits close to home as well. Florida ranks third in the nation for human trafficking reports, with Palm Beach County ranking third in the state and Miami topping the list. This makes the involvement of a moving company with a widespread reach particularly significant. They have unprecedented access to truckstops and to the families and communities they serve every day. "Good Greek moving is in and out of people's homes, we're traveling through the country we're at truck stops and rest areas and quite often these are areas where victims can be trafficked," explains Spero Georgedakis,the Founder and CEO of Good Greek Moving & Storage. "We need to be vigilant and be able to identify these situations where we can call 911 or the authorities." As a former police officer, Spero Georgedakis understands the importance of viewing communities through an educated lens. Recognizing signs of trafficking, though challenging, is crucial. According to Place of Hope, education is the most powerful tool in preventing trafficking. Some signs include branding with tattoos, locks on the outside of internal doors, and windowless bedrooms. In hotels, watch for numerous people entering and exiting a single room. Data shows 56% of trafficked individuals are U.S. citizens. According to a report by the Florida Department of Children and Families, in 2023 1,627 out of nearly 2,100 reported cases involved children. "One of the survivors that we work with was trafficked from 11 years old to 26 years old," Ciancio shares. "If someone would have picked up the phone and called, a teacher, a guidance counselor, someone that had a relationship with her. They could have alerted someone that something just wasn't right that girl could have been saved from years and years and years of trauma." Safety remains paramount. Movers are trained not to attempt rescues themselves. Instead, they are instructed to contact their supervisor or call the police if they observe suspicious circumstances. The training is just the first step. Good Greek and Place of Hope aim to raise broader awareness about the issue. Plans include wrapping a truck with QR codes for reporting human trafficking and placing billboards across Florida with awareness messages. Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here Place of Hope calls on other businesses and organizations to join this fight. For more information on recognizing the signs of human trafficking or to get involved, please visit placeofhope.com. If you want to follow Good Greek's leading example call to report human trafficking at the Florida Hotline at 1-855-FLA-SAFE or CRIME STOPPERS at 1-800-458-8477. Maggie Miller is a writer and contributor for RealClearPolicy.
To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE
Other Recent Articles from Breaking Christian News Why the New RomCom ‘MERV’ Can Bring You Joy This Christmas 205 Child Victims Located and Rescued in DOJ Sex Exploitation Op Trump Admin Pausing All Off Shore Wind Project Construction Due To National Security Concerns Trump Grants Federal Workers Two Additional Christmas Holidays America Fest 2025: Erika Kirk Endorses 'My Husband's Friend' JD Vance for President Brent Bozell Confirmed as US Ambassador to South Africa Jury Quickly Convicts Judge Who Helped Illegal Migrant Escape ICE Feds Estimate Somali-Linked Fraud in Walz's Minnesota Could Top $9 Billion Brown, MIT Shooter Found Dead for Days in NH Storage Unit; Motive Still a Mystery House Passes Bill to Criminalize Transgender Mutilation of Children MOVIEGUIDE's Review of the New Animated Film: DAVID Massachusetts Drops Controversial Gender Ideology Mandate for Licensing Foster Care Parents Nearly 40% of Women Suffer Severe Grief for Years after Abortion, Miscarriage: Study Former Pfizer Vice President: COVID Shots Were 'Designed to Cause Injury,' Reduce Fertility Dutch Sheets Shares a Warning from the US National Counterterrorism Center Venezuela: Trump's Pressure Campaign and Maduro's Fury Search the Articles Archives |
All articles on this site and emails from BCN are copyrighted property of Breaking Christian News. Permission is given to link to, or share a BCN story if proper attribution is given to both the original writer and summarizer of the story. Breaking Christian News 2005-2019. All Rights Reserved.
Breaking Christian News is a division of Elijah List Publications, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Disclaimer: Articles and links, as well as the source articles linked to; do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Breaking Christian News.
| Home | Store | Subscribe | Facebook | Article Archive |