Happy Thanksgiving!

If you feel moved to make a donation to Love146 this week, check out their Thanksgiving e-cards. You could make it in honor of someone you're feeling thankful for this year.


Hope you all have a wonderful, happy Thanksgiving.

Some Thanksgiving Reading

Just wanted to make you all aware of the June 2008 Trafficking in Persons report put together annually by the U.S. government. You can find the report here, and it's fascinating: http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2008/.

I blogged about a few of the initial things I found to be most interesting (http://seasonoflight.blogspot.com), and will continue to do so as I make my way through the report. Feel free to check it out, and comment on your own impressions.

Also wanted to pass along a great story link from Rachel: http://globalhealthlaw.wordpress.com/2008/10/03/battling-child-sex-slavery-in-cambodia/
If you don't know much about Somaly Mam, this is a great place to start. Her story is incredibly inspiring.

Keep reading and keep learning! And spreading the word...

Update on Love146 as an organization

Here's a breakdown of where the funds to Love146 go:

$1.1 million budget in 2007:
86% Programs
8% Fundraising
6% Management & Administration

If you want to read more about what makes a good charity, read the BBB rating process for Love146 here.

11/16 Meeting Recap

We had a great meeting last night with a big turnout--17 of us gathered to brainstorm for Tread on Trafficking, and came up with some great ideas & next steps.

We opened with prayer and then read some stats and figures about child trafficking.  We then opened the discussion to brainstorm and figure out logistics around our Tread on Traffficking idea.  We decided to broaden ToT to include exercise activities outside of just gyms, including running and biking clubs, etc.  We determined the best way to track participant miles was to have a PDF file available for download on the eventual ToT website.  

We also discussed why gyms would want to participate in the initiative.  The reasoning was threefold:

• It gives members a reason to keep working out, or increase their involvement with the gym
• Good press
• Opportunity to run promotions with gym-related prizes (e.g., free personal training) 

We then broke out into three brainstorming groups:

1. Advertising
2. Gym outreach
3. Logistics

We're currently working on designing a Tread on Trafficking logo, which will then be implemented as part of the website, press kits, advertising materials, and business cards.   The website will include the following:

• A link to Love146
• A link to Skreened.com, where interested participants can buy tshirts advertising/in support of Love146
• PDF form to track their miles
• Description of ToT
• Stats about trafficking
• List of participating gyms
• Contact email
• Testimonies

Our fundraising goal is $14,600 by May 1.

Our other pre-event to do's:

• Approaching gyms
• Designing a sign up sheet 
• Designating a person to collect sign up sheets
• Designating a person to email those who are interested
• Jenn will see if she can find some helpful insight from a gym manager that she knows in order to refine talking points when approaching gyms

Other orders of business:

• Sending out reminders to treaders to send payment
• Make checks payable to Love146
• Send thank yous to participants, gyms, and any other businesses that participated
• Email gym the the name of number one prize winner
• Send email updates

Thanks to everyone for coming out and giving your time, energy and ideas.  Special thanks to Jaime for taking such great notes--and Kim for some realllly good snacks. :) 

10/19 Meeting... rocked!

Love 146 Boston Task Force
10/19/08

Agenda:
1. Discuss Not for Sale, 1st Chapter
2. Review Mission and Goals for coming year
3. Review Tread on Trafficking fundraising idea
4. Open time for discussion
5. Close in Prayer

Mission and Goals (draft)

For this year, we believe, with God’s help, we can accomplish the following:
1. Create a viable, sustainable Task Force that involves dozens of people from many churches and many different faith-backgrounds
2. Educate thousands throughout Greater Boston through regular, persistent communication about human trafficking and Love 146’s relief efforts (email campaigns)
3. Educate and motivate 1,000 people in the Greater Boston area to donate to the cause
4. Sponsor 100 1x1x1 meetings – 1 on 1, 1 hour meetings about human trafficking to raise awareness
5. Raise $50,000 by Dec 31, 2009 for Love 146

Tread on Trafficking (draft)
Tread on Trafficking is a walk-a-thon like event that will take place at gyms throughout New England from February 15th to March 31st. Treaders will ask others to sponsor them per mile on a bike, treadmill, or other exercise machine. The goal is to capture 1,000+ sponsors of treaders throughout the Boston area. We hope that since many undertake a new exercise regime at New Year’s, Tread on Trafficking will appeal to gym owners and they will sponsor/promote the event as it drives gym usage at a time when new members can be vulnerable to slacking off; Valentine’s Day is also Love 146’s key holiday. Finally, we aim to posit stories in various media outlets before, during, and after this event, highlighting key points about Love 146 and its mission.

The next steps in this campaign are to begin to research local gym owners and franchisees, asking for their support of this program. Our goal should be to gather 5-6 gyms to agree to post signs, flyers, and promotional material before our next meeting in November.

Reminder: Love146 Task Force Meeting Sunday Oct 19th at 6:30pm

A reminder that we're meeting again on Sunday night at the Cambridge Vineyard Site, in the living room of the Ministry Center.

We'll be discussing Not for Sale and, if you've signed up for the Google Group -- see the link on the left -- there's a copy of the discussion materials awaiting you there.

Call + Response Coming to Kendall Square

The new movie, Call + Response is coming to Kendall Square.

KENDALL SQUARE
One Kendall Square
Cambridge, MA 02139

October 9
October 13–16