August 19, 2022 11:00 a.m.

Mercy Foundation’s Human Trafficking program has been awarded a grant from the CommonSpirit Mission and Ministry Fund for over $75,000.

Foundation President Lisa Platt said their UP2USNOW violence prevention work launched the community’s human trafficking initiative. Platt said it focuses on increasing awareness and providing tools to identify victims and survivors among law enforcement, medical and social service providers and other industries, such as truck drivers and tattoo artists. Platt said they have also responded to the needs of victims by supporting a victim advocate, providing a single point of entry for access to services and resources. Both of these activities are supported by funds from the Oregon Department of Justice.

Platt said as human trafficking has become more prevalent, with more frequency in the community, the challenge now is the need to expand the foundation’s work to include more prevention initiatives. She said support from the CommonSpirit and Ministry Fund will transform awareness into action that communities can implement to prevent future exploitation.

Violence Prevention Program Manager Marion Pearson said, “This grant allows our task force to continue to focus on education for our community as well as supporting victims of human trafficking. This is a very real issue in Douglas County and we are very grateful for this grant”.

To learn more about Mercy Foundation’s Human Trafficking Prevention efforts, go to: http://www.up2usnow.org/