Anti-human trafficking conference, Saturday

Eastern Shore advocacy group holding info session at SonRise Church in Berlin

(April 20, 2023) Worcester County is not immune to the crime of human trafficking, and Atlantic General Hospital’s faith-based partnership will explore the problem at a Lower Shore Anti-Human Trafficking Conference Saturday at SonRise Church in Berlin.

From 9 a.m. to noon, a team of experts from local community organizations will provide participants with a deeper understanding of human trafficking, including how it affects Worcester County, how to identify warning signs, how to report suspected trafficking and information on available resources, among other things.

Among the speakers will be Kelly Richardson, who chairs Harriett’s House, an organization in Cambridge that helps free women trapped in these situations.

Richardson, a wife and mom of five, is a domestic violence survivor and a Marine veteran. She holds her degree in homeland security.

Richardson has been a board member with Harriett’s House for the past three years. Her passion to combat human trafficking started about eight years ago at a Faith Filled Women’s Conference in Salisbury.

After listening to a breakout session about human trafficking with the Samaritan Women, of Baltimore, she decided to take action for those that have no voice and are locked in a world of modern day slavery.

Since then, Richardson tries to take every opportunity to do local mission work throughout the Eastern Shore by educating and raising awareness. She strives to open the eyes of those that are unaware that human trafficking is happening right here on the Eastern Shore.

Also on the agenda is Julie Crain, founder and executive director of Harriett’s House, which also operates as a drop-in center for survivors of human trafficking, with plans to expand into residential housing in the future.

Crain began her work in human trafficking through traveling internationally, doing short-term mission work in after-care programs for women who had escaped sex trafficking.

Realizing the need for services in the United States compelled her to start Harriett’s House with the goal of raising awareness and educating communities about human trafficking, providing outreach, drop-in centers and developing residential programing for women survivors of sex trafficking.

Worcester Library meet and greet

Continued from Page 14 nearby to connect their devices to a public network.

It will also be used to expand the Library’s programming capabilities, by bringing programs to the bookmobile’s stops.

The Worcester County Library acquired its first bookmobile in 1960 and provided mobile services until 1982. The new Pop Up Library is the Worcester County Library’s first bookmobile in over 40 years.

The Worcester County Pop Up Library project was funded in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and administered by the Maryland State Library Agency.

Scheduled to speak as well are Dr. Danielle Thomas: child sex trafficking regional navigator, Life Crisis Center and Mandi Mendoza, survivor leader, Delaware Anti-Trafficking Action Council.

This event is free of charge, with the sole purpose of educating and raising awareness of human trafficking in this area. After all, an educated community is the first line of defense in keeping the Eastern Shore free of human trafficking.

Contact Thomas at dthomas@lifecrisiscenter.org for more information and to register for the conference.