HALT Human Trafficking Fund gives grants to Nebraska organizations

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — The HALT Human Trafficking Fund announced the new rounds of grants including four Nebraska organizations. BraveBe, HTI Labs, Innocence Freed, and the Set Me Free Project will receive the grants to support initiatives focused on preventing human trafficking.

BraveBe is implementing the Love146 Not a Number which is a prevention curriculum. This curriculum provides evidence-informed trafficking prevention education to kids ages 12-18 in southeast Nebraska. The goal of the curriculum is to focus on early prevention and reduce the risk of youth to human trafficking in both rural and urban Nebraska communities.

HTI Labs is working to strengthen developing and delivery of targeted human trafficking identification and response training. Child welfare professionals will be trained to recognize trafficking risk along with how to respond appropriately.

Innocence Freed will lead the Truth Uncovered: Human Trafficking Prevention & Awareness Campaign. This campaign will provide survivor-informed education across Nebraska through public events and community trainings. It is expected to equip 1,000 individuals to be able to recognize trafficking signs and appropriate responses. 

The Set Me Free Project (SMFP) will establish student-led campus chapters that focus on awareness of human trafficking risks and prevention strategies among college students and youth. Many things will be supported by the HALT Fund like training student leaders, peer education activities and student-organized awareness events.

Richard Baier, the NBA president and CEO, spoke out supporting the initiatives.

“Preventing human trafficking, whether labor or sex trafficking, requires strong partnerships and sustained support,” said Baier. “These grants reinforce the important work happening on the ground to protect at-risk Nebraskans statewide.”