The Junior League of Greenville (JLG) is proud to release two new focus areas, concentrating its resources and initiatives around eradicating human trafficking and promoting economic mobility for women within the Upstate region.

“The Junior League of Greenville has a long history of supporting women in our community,” said Whitney Hanna, JLG’s Community Project Research & Development Chair. “By focusing its resources on specific impact areas—human trafficking and economic mobility—and supporting organizations that are already doing great critical work in these areas, the League has the opportunity to have a greater impact in the community while also creating deeply meaningful engagement opportunities for our members.”

The Junior League of Greenville members chose to focus on human trafficking and economic mobility in order to engage in initiatives that help women in the Greenville community overcome barriers.

The JLG will partner with community organizations that are focused on preventing human trafficking and providing support to survivors in our community. Currently in the Upstate there are 17 fake massage parlors, 22 illegitimate escort services, 150+ ads posted per day on online sites and 600 people working in the commercial sex industry on a given weekend night.

Greenville County is one of the most difficult places in the country to climb out of poverty, according to MDC’s 2014 State of the South Report. The JLG will continue existing programs like A Nearly New You as well as partnering with other initiatives in Greenville to assist women with interview skills and attire, educational goals, safety and other resources that will help them thrive.