The Freedom Gala: Standing Together to End Human Trafficking

Freedom 4/24 invites our community to join the fight against human trafficking through prevention education, awareness, and action at the 2026 Freedom Gala on September 17.

Each year, we come together to celebrate the impact we've made and raise support to continue this important work. At Freedom 4/24, we believe the best way to end human trafficking is to prevent it before it begins. Through prevention education, we equip children, families, schools, and communities with the knowledge they need to recognize warning signs, set healthy boundaries, and stay safe. 

Human trafficking doesn't happen the way many people imagine. It is typically driven by force, fraud, or coercion, not stranger abduction. Abusers start by finding someone who is vulnerable. A vulnerable person can be anyone. We all experience vulnerabilities at different points in our lives. A vulnerability is any circumstance, need, or challenge that makes someone more likely to be manipulated or exploited. Abusers look for people who are lonely, isolated, struggling with self-worth, facing instability at home, lacking strong support systems, or simply longing for acceptance and belonging. Then, they slowly build trust through attention, compliments, gifts, and secrecy, using manipulation to create dependency before exploitation begins, a tactic called grooming. 

The probing question is: how can someone protect themselves if they don’t know there is a threat to begin with? This is why education matters. Education remains one of the most powerful tools in prevention. Freedom 4/24 provides prevention education that equips people of all ages to recognize vulnerabilities, identify grooming tactics, establish healthy boundaries, and know how to seek help. 

According to the U.S. Department of State in 2025, Human trafficking is estimated to be profiting $150 billion worldwide per year. Making it one of the most profitable criminal industries in existence. 

Every dollar raised through the Freedom Gala helps expand prevention education, equip communities with life-saving resources, and empower individuals to recognize and resist exploitation before it begins. 

Join us on Thursday, September 17, 2026, for the Freedom Gala. Together, we can invest in prevention, protect the vulnerable, and bring freedom to individuals and communities. Your presence, partnership, and generosity help ensure that exploitation does not have the final word. Together, we can prevent human trafficking before it starts and create a future where protection, dignity, and restoration are possible for all.