While January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, DART works to combat human trafficking throughout the year. The agency is proud to be a part of the Safe Place program, a national non-profit organization that builds community safety nets for young people in crisis.
When young people need help, they can simply approach any uniformed DART employee and let them know they need a Safe Place. DART employees then work in coordination with QuikTrip and Jonathan's Place staff to transport the child to safety.
The Safe Place program helps youth with difficult problems, such as abuse, neglect, family troubles, dangerous dating situations, bullying, homelessness and drug abuse.
Safe Place aims to intervene at the earliest possible stage of a crisis. Many of these young people are abandoned or abused, and few know where to turn. Left alone on the streets, one in three young people encounter a predator or human trafficker within 48 hours. By responding quickly, Safe Place can minimize the potential for harm.
If you know of a young person in need, please text the word SAFE and their current location (city, state, zip) to 69866, or call the National Runaway Safeline at 1.800.RUNAWAY (1.800.786.2929).
Learn more about the Safe Place program at DART.org/SafePlace