Price of Life NYC

lawforthepeople:

Great story about a judge who wanted to make a difference, took the time to ask questions, and would up founding a whole new kind of court for a population with a special set of needs.

Herbert decided to establish a restorative justice program for these women, launching CATCH Court—”Changing Attitudes to Change Habits”—in September 2009 with the support of his colleagues. Traditional treatment and probation had never been successful with this population, Herbert explains. Prostitutes simply cycled in and out of jail. The other judges told him, “If you want to try this experiment, go right ahead.’”

Through the two-year CATCH Court, women are sent to residential rehabilitation programs to detox and receive intensive therapy. Their movements are monitored electronically, they are subject to random drug tests, and they appear before Judge Herbert weekly in the courtroom to report on the progress. “I wish you could see the way they interact with each other,” he says. “They all have each other’s phone numbers, and they call, and they make meals for each other, and if one’s in the hospital, they all go visit her. It’s an amazing community.”

Click through for the full story.

We featured this on our facebook page! Did you see it?

A Richland, Washington church hosts this multi-sensory experience meant to engage people around the issue of human-trafficking. Bethel Church provided a grant to a few young dreamers, who created this project with the help of numerous volunteers. As the project website describes it:

Participants will be immersed into the lives of victims in nine different parts of the world. SOLD challenges participants to respond to human trafficking with justice, mercy and humility.  …

The goals of SOLD are to educate and move to action. We hope each person will come away with an increased awareness of human trafficking and a better understanding of how to address it. We also hope each person will be inspired to take small steps to live each day with justice and mercy. Finally, we hope that attendees will begin to grapple with the deeper issues of God’s love and sovereignty and justice, the evil in the world, and their own part in God’s plan of bringing justice.

How about bringing this to NYC for the Price of Life Invitational?!

Snap up one of the remaining spaces, or pass it on to a talented, passionate friend.

LOGOFF WORKSHOP: 
Local, Green, Organic, Fair Trade, Slave Free

04.28  |  9 AM - 4 PM  |  251 W. 80th Street, Manhattan
(All Angels Church)

Because good intentions can’t make a difference without good information

You’re invited to a FREE LOGOFF Workshop, a creative work day on an app to help consumers make good choices. The workshop is sponsored by two InterVarsity projects in New York: NYCUPand the Price of Life Invitational. Special tracks for tech/programming, business, marketing, design, data collection, and theology. See the above invitation for more info or email with questions.

Apply to attend here (pre-registration required).

learnthinkact:

I generally try to avoid re-publishing entire articles on my blog. But in this case, I made the exception, because this is too important. Here are some simple yet powerful ways to make a difference in your neighborhood. 

The following directly reprinted is from the linked webpage from the Maryland Coalition. 

You’ve got all this harrowing information. You know what trafficking is, why it happens, and who it affects (hint: everyone). What do you do now?

Join the Maryland Rescue and Restore Coalition
The coalition is a state level division of the US Department of Health and Human Services effort to rescue and restore victims of human trafficking. For more info about the coalition and how to get involved, go to our MD Coalition section, or contact us directly using the info listed at the bottom of the page.

Buy Fair Trade
When you buy fair trade, you ensure that your money is supporting workers who are paid fair wages, work in humane and safe conditions, and are free. For more info about the specific criteria for fair trade products, visit Fair Trade USA. “But how do I buy fair trade?” you ask. It’s simple. Search for “fair trade _____.” It’s that simple. For examples of sites that feature fair trade products, visit The Samaritan Women’s Fair and Free Shopping Guide.

Report Suspicious Activity
If your instincts tell you that someone is being trafficked, or if something just doesn’t seem right, report it. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. If you’re not sure if you have a trafficking situation, look for some red flags.

Here are phone numbers you should program into your phone:

• Polaris Project Hotline: 1-888-3737-888 
  to report a tip connect with anti-trafficking resources in your area, request training and technical assistance, general information, or specific anti-trafficking resources
• Department of Homeland Security Blue Campaign: 1-866-347-2423
  to report suspicious activity

Talk About It
Yes, it’s hard. It’s an uncomfortable topic to talk about, but you have to remember that we can’t pretend it doesn’t exist. It happens right under our noses. So talk about it. Talk to your family, your friends, your coworkers, and especially young people. Don’t know where to start?

Check out these fact sheets:
Polaris Project has extensive resources on every topic related to trafficking Know the warning signs of a trafficking situation.

Watch “the movies.”
Trafficking is a hot topic, and watching a movie about trafficking is a great way to start a discussion. A “top 10″ list is available here.