Thousands of school-age children in the United States and Canada are vulnerable to being trafficked. Some victims will continue attending school during the day — and riding the school bus — even while they are being trafficked or groomed at night and on weekends. School transportation professionals may observe red flags that a child on their bus is being exploited or can play a preventative role by noticing signs that a child may be at risk of being trafficked or is being groomed for the sex trade.
School transportation can play a crucial role in identifying and responding to potential cases of child trafficking, especially as it is an integral component of the school environment. Here are four things you can do to help combat human trafficking in your schools:
Watch our school transportation training video:
BOTL’s free industry-specific training materials are designed to train bus drivers, aides, and other student transportation staff on how to recognize and report signs of human trafficking they may be seeing in the course of their everyday jobs. Contact info@truckersagainsttrafficking.org for print materials. Click here to access BOTL materials in Spanish or French Canadian.
We could not do what we do without our amazing sponsors and donors. With your support, BOTL can continue to educate and empower members of the bus industry in the fight against human trafficking.
If you are 70 1/2 or older, you can make a Tax-Smart Gift to Support Truckers Against Trafficking with a “rollover” gift from your IRA directly to TAT.
YOUR BENEFITS
Support TAT’s Critical Mission
Satisfy your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD). If you have not already satisfied your RMD, you can satisfy all or part of that requirement and make a gift to TAT at the same time.
Save on taxes. The funds you donate are not recognized as income for federal income tax purposes. You can enjoy tax benefits and still support TAT even if you do not itemize your deductions.
HOW TO MAKE AN IRA ROLLOVER GIFT TO TAT
Contact your IRA custodian to obtain the appropriate form to make an IRA charitable rollover. The form may refer to the rollover by its technical name, “qualified charitable distribution,” or QCD. On the form, specify the amount to be transferred to TAT, identify TAT by its full legal name, and include TAT’s tax ID no. 45-2696572.
The IRA plan custodian should make the check payable to TAT and mail it to:
Truckers Against Trafficking
Attn: Kendis Paris
PO Box 816
Englewood, CO 80151
Please instruct the IRA plan custodian to reference your name and address on the check; otherwise, it may be difficult to identify that you are the donor when the check arrives.
Questions: Please contact Kendis Paris at kparis@truckersagainsttrafficking.org
A member of the Truckers Against Trafficking team would love to speak with you about this option. Please send an email to kparis@truckersagainsttrafficking.org to get the conversation started.