30 City Tour to End Sex Trafficking with Fashion
St. Louis, MO, August 12, 2014 (Newswire.com) - Are Dawn and Eric looking for you? According to a Nielsen report, 66% of consumers say they prefer to buy products from companies who give back to society, and Dawn and Eric Manske of Made for Freedom have hit the road to find them. Dawn Manske founded Made for Freedom, a for-profit social enterprise headquartered in St. Louis, MO, to sell fashion apparel made by and benefiting women survivors of sex trafficking. In August and October, Made for Freedom will visit 30+ cities in the U.S. over two trips. This grass roots style tour is focused on connecting and spreading awareness about sex trafficking and how Made for Freedom fashions make a lasting impression in fashion and rescuing women.
It’s no coincidence Dawn and Eric Manske decided to hit the road to promote their products and cause. The Federal Bureau of Investigation reports an estimated 293,000 American children are at risk for sexual exploitation - often being transported along major highways and working at truck stops.
Made for Freedom (MFF) aims to change the lives of sex trafficking survivors by providing job training and dignified employment. Made for Freedom currently works with survivors in Thailand and India to make their unique Creabeli ™ pants (pronounced Cree-ah-bell-ee and derived from creating-a-beautiful-life) and fashion tee shirts. To date, MFF has provided 700 hours of dignified employment around the world while building a growing business. Beyond providing employment, 20% of the company’s net earnings are given back to the women as funding for life skills and job training. This secondary return to survivors is critical for survivors to find new fulfilling and sustainable lives.
Many consumers are looking for a way to get what they need and feel good about their purchases - and Made for Freedom has the fashionable answer. “The world does not need just another apparel brand; the world needs freedom for the oppressed. We strive to use apparel - often known for sweatshops - as a force to do good while doing well as a business,” said Dawn. The organization provides a way for everyday consumers to be a part of the positive force to end sex trafficking, simply through one’s purchases. “I designed Made for Freedom so that all of us can be part of our solution to provide women and girls a way to avoid, to get out of, and to stay out of sex trafficking. And you get to show your style, while sharing this message, with the fashionable products that they make!” MFF’s ability to bridge the gap between the fashion consumer and the socially conscious activist is set to have larger social impacts than the average single activist.
The sex trade makes $32 billion in profits each year according to the Polaris Project on human trafficking. Made for Freedom is actively working to change those statistics. Make your purchases count and join in the fight against sex trafficking! You can follow the road trip at @madeforfreedom or facebook.com/MadeforFreedom. Visit madeforfreedom.com to learn more or email info@madeforfreedom.com to arrange a time to meet with Dawn and Eric Manske during their road trip.
Kansas City, MO; Manhattan, KS
Aug 2 - 3
Billings, MT
Aug 14
Denver, CO; Boulder, CO; Ft. Collins, CO
Aug 4 - 6
Rapid City, SD
Aug 15
Salt Lake City, UT
Aug 7 - 10
Sioux Falls, SD
Aug 16
Idaho Falls, ID
Aug 11
Minneapolis, MN
Aug 17
Jackson Hole, WY
Aug 12
Madison, WI, Milwaukee, WI
Aug 18
Butte, MT; Bozeman, MT
Aug 13
Chicago, IL
Aug 19 - 21
October trip will include the following cities (Dates TBD): Seattle, WA; Portland, OR; San Francisco, CA; Los Angeles, CA; San Diego, CA; Phoenix, AZ; Tucson, AZ; Santa Fe, NM; Roswell, NM; Austin, TX; Dallas, TX; Tulsa, OK; and Springfield, MO.
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Founder Dawn Manske is available to discuss Creabeli pants, the social enterprise model, and how Made for Freedom is working to end sex trafficking.