Operation Underground Railroad

When I ran in Salt Lake Comic Con's Hero Dash last October, I spoke about several charitable organizations that proceeds from the race went to. One of these organizations is Operation Underground Railroad.

Many people believe that slavery is a thing of the past, that it ended with the American Civil War one hundred and fifty years ago. In reality, slavery still exists today. Human sex trafficking exists in countries all around the world, and those that engage in it prey upon those that are the most vulnerable, children.

Just as the Underground Railroad helped people escape from slavery in the 1800s, Operation Underground Railroad (OUR) was created to free children from slavery and to prosecute those that participate and profit from human trafficking.

OUR rescue teams consist of former CIA, Navy Seals, special agents and others, who work with local law enforcement to rescue children in the sex slave trade, arrest the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

OUR is not a government agency. It is a non-profit organization that relies entirely on donations to fund the important work they do.

You can visit OUR's website here: https://www.ourrescue.org/ At the website, you can become an Abolitionist by signing up to give a monthly donation, or you can start your own campaign (or join someone else's) to raise funds to rescue children. It also gives ideas on how to spread the word and shares success stories.

A friend of mine, Ty, recently started his own campaign. His goal is to raise $5000, the cost to rescue five children, by March 20^th. You can donate to his campaign here: https://yourrescue.org/projects/tikkun-olam-healing-the-world/

And finally, OUR has produced a video that shows what they do, as well as the impact it has on the lives of the children they rescue.

I first became aware of OUR when they presented a similar video at a panel at Salt Lake Comic Con's FanXperience last year. I was impressed with what they were doing then, and I'm excited to see how their work has been growing since that time.

In closing, I encourage you to give what you can to this worthy cause.