Pennsylvania Turnpike volunteers make care kits for human trafficking survivors
By Gabriel Thomas, Rachael Lardani
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Pennsylvania (WGAL) — Employees with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission packed care boxes Thursday for survivors of human trafficking in the Susquehanna Valley as part of an annual outreach effort.
According to organizers, survivors often lack essentials when they are rescued, making the donated care boxes a vital resource.
“They are packed with essential items that they don’t have when they are rescued off the street. It gives them something they can hold on to, a sense of hope, and shows them that someone cares,” said Deb Lehan, PA Turnpike Commission Employee.
Advocates say human trafficking can happen anywhere and are encouraging the public to learn ways to recognize when someone may need help.
One tool is the universal hand signal for distress: Hold one hand up with the palm facing outward, tuck the thumb into the palm, then fold the fingers down over the thumb.
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