Gala to raise funds for group fighting child sex exploitation

Each year, more than 100,000 children in the U.S. are sexually exploited, including thousands in the Chicago area, and that's the impetus behind the No Little Girl … Taskforce.

The task force is part of the Salvation Army's PROMISE program (Partnership to Rescue our Minors from Sexual Exploitation).

"People think this only happens in places like Thailand and Brazil," said Libertyville resident Teri Dreher, one of the Taskforce's founders. "But it's happening here, every day. Our mission is to stop it." To that end, the task force will host its first fundraising gala Oct. 1, at Glen Flora Country Club in Waukegan. The evening will include dinner and entertainment, live and silent auctions and a special musical performance by Michaela, a young survivor. Tickets cost $125 each and may be purchased at promiseagainsttrafficking.com.

The keynote speaker will be Frank Massolini, PROMISE program director. Massolini founded the Chicago's model PROMISE program in 2005. Today, PROMISE is comprised of 31 member organizations, including the Chicago Police Department, Illinois DCFS and the Department of Homeland Security, along with local hospitals and numerous children's agencies.

"Child sex trafficking is the single fastest growing organized crime, generating $32 billion in annual revenue. Chicago is a hot spot because of its central location and multifaceted transportation system - which makes it easy to move children in and out - as well as its many visitors and conventions," Dreher said.

While every child is a potential victim, runaways and kids from dysfunctional homes are at greatest risk.

The No Little Girl … task force is focused on prevention, intervention and treatment. Its volunteers are raising public awareness, providing training to professionals, hosting preventive classes in high schools and middle schools and providing specialized HALT (Hotel and Law Enforcement) intervention training to police and hospitality employees.

In addition, it's working to provide long-term trauma-based residential services to young victims, whose complex needs may not be met in traditional group homes.

PROMISE opened Anne's House, the first specialized group home in the country. Anne's House offers therapy, life skills training, academic/vocation support and more. It receives referrals from all over the country. But it only has eight beds and many more are needed.

All funds raised by the gala will be earmarked to open a second residential site in the Chicago area. Once funds have been raised to cover one and a half years of operating expenses, the Salvation Army will purchase and build-out a house.