North Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force

Labor trafficking in Jasper.

Feds find children working in Alabama chicken plant, ask court to halt sales Federal officials want to use a new tool to enforce laws against child labor against a Jasper chicken plant. They are asking a judge to stop the sale of all chicken tainted with child labor for 30 days, a move that the attorneys for the plant said would hurt workers and the local economy.

At next month's meeting on May 7, Barbara Fowler of Fowler Davis 4 Change will present on the sugar dating crisis in Alabama. This is eye-opening and sobering stuff, and you want to hear about it! Hope to see you there!

TODAY'S MEETING IS CANCELED

All, we apologize for the short notice, but we will not have our monthly business meeting for the North Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force this month because of the high potential for severe weather.

We hope to see everyone at our next scheduled monthly meeting on Tuesday, May 7, at 2 pm.

Thank you and be safe!

Fantastic news!

Runaway/Missing Juvenile Sara Dena Steele has been located safe!!!

The Etowah County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank everyone for all of the information and tips that came in. This is still an active investigation involving several local and Federal Agencies.

Further information will be released to the news media in the days to come.

The Task Force is thrilled to announce that Africa Patterson has been elected to the board as our Community Impact Director.

Africa is a longtime supporter of the Task Force, and we are delighted to bring her expertise to our efforts. Welcome Africa! Official bio follows:

Community Impact Director Africa Patterson joined the war on human trafficking in 2015 after hearing task force founder and president Pat McCay speak. A social worker since 2005, Africa worked for the state of Alabama as a child protective service worker with the Madison County Department of Human Resources until 2010. She then became a Public Health Social Worker with the Madison County Health Department, where she currently holds the position of Maternal Child Health Coordinator, focusing on advocacy and health care resources for expectant mothers and children, ages 1-17. Africa received her Bachelor’s of Music degree from the University of Alabama in Huntsville with a Minor in Sociology, and her Master’s of Social Work degree from Alabama A&M University. She is currently licensed with the state of Alabama as a Master Social Worker. Africa was born in Memphis, TN but raised here in Huntsville, AL since she was six months old. She loves her life in Christ and enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

***************UPDATED POST****************

🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨LOCATED SAFE🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨

🚨🚨MISSING/RUNAWAY JUVENILE🚨🚨

Sara Dena Steele
16yr old W/F
Ht: 5’4
Wt: 140
Eye: Hazel
Hair: Brown
Last seen around 2:00 A.M. on 03/02/2024 in the Egypt Community, Wearing Blue top and black and white checkered pajama pants.

Anyone with information please contact the Etowah County Sheriff’s Office at (256)546-2825, TipLine at (256)549-2893, [email protected] or CrimeStoppers at (334)215-STOP

https://www.al.com/news/2024/02/alabama-company-fined-117175-over-15-year-olds-fatal-fall-on-first-day-of-work.html

Alabama company fined $117,175 over 15-year-old’s fatal fall on first day of work While working on the roof of a Cullman Casting Corporation building, the teen fell 50 feet, suffering fractures of the wrist, skull and ribs.

REMINDER: We are meeting TODAY at First Baptist Church in Huntsville at 2 pm. (Park in front of the church, go to entrance #3, and use the intercom to tell the person who answers you are there for the North Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force meeting.)

Sound of Freedom, a gritty look at human trafficking, is on at your local cinema right now. A task force member had the following to say about it:

"I saw this movie last night. It breaks your heart while it gives you hope - ONE PERSON CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Each of us can tell someone else - each of us can watch for signs of people being trafficked. It has happened in Huntsville Alabama and Atlanta Georgia and all over our country and the rest of the world. See the movie."

Please note our July meeting will be Tuesday, July 11 because of the Independence Day holiday on July 4. We will see you then!

There's still time to enter our human trafficking art contest, but this is the last week!

North Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force hosts social commentary art contest The local nonprofit organization, North Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force, is continuing their mission of educating the public on human trafficking through art.

Human Trafficking Art Contest open to all northern Alabama middle and high school students!

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MAY 5!

It was my great pleasure to spend some time with the Huntsville chapter of the American Association of University Women this evening talking about human trafficking. Thank you for having me, and thank you for the great mug!

Would you like me or another member of the North Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force to present to your group? Just let us know!

Students, don't let the deadline sneak up on you! Please visit tinyurl.com/humantraffickingartcontest for details on our human trafficking art contest!

Our human trafficking art contest for middle and high school students is live! Please visit tinyurl.com/humantraffickingartcontest for details!

PLEASE NOTE: We will be meeting at the National Children's Advocacy Center tomorrow at 2 pm. The NCAC is at 210 Pratt Avenue in Huntsville. Hope to see you there!

What a tremendous multi-group effort to put together hope bags for recovered human trafficking victims on Tuesday! Thanks to Soroptimist International of Huntsville, as well as Junior League of Huntsville, TIP of Alabama, Camp8 Outfitters, and the Criminal Justice, Homeland and Corporate Security, and Child Advocacy (CAST) students of Athens State University!

When human trafficking victims are recovered, frequently they have no personal possessions at all, other than the (often quite inadequate) clothes they are wearing. A hope bag is for a law enforcement officer, or an advocacy group member, or a shelter worker, or a medical provider, or anyone else who is in position to help to give to the victim. It contains personal hygiene items, more substantial clothing, a blanket--the things we take for granted but things a trafficking victim may have been without for months or even years. It is a bit of restored dignity.

It is hope.

Thanks to everyone who contributed time and money to this effort. We appreciate you!