A Bite of Justice Pie

by Amanda Kloer

categories: Human Trafficking Awareness, Money and Economy

Published August 23, 2009 @ 09:00AM PT

Pie is delicious.  Now that's a statement few would argue with.  What's also delicious is everyday people taking something they love and using it to free slaves all over the world.  Joanne Kaattari has managed to combine both these delicious things into The Justice Pie Project, a fundraiser to help victims of modern-day slavery.  You can read more about her project here.

Joanne encouraged her family and community to come together and bake pies while learning about human trafficking.  They then sold the pies and raised over $300 for the International Justice Mission, an anti-trafficking organization.   Hence, the Justice Pie Project.  It's such a simple idea, and in its simplicity is its brilliance.

I love this project, and not just because I love pie.  I love it because it has all the ingredients of a great abolistionist fundraiser and activity. 

1. Start with what you know: Joanne knows pie.  Maybe you know ballet or dinosaurs or public speaking or Spanish or origami.  Whatever your set of skills, I guarantee you there is a way you can use those to help free slaves and end human trafficking.  You don't have to be a professional fundraiser or a policy wonk to make a difference- just someone who chooses to use their talents for a good cause.
2. Tap into your community: Human trafficking is a global issue, but ending it is a local one.  Start with your family, your nextdoor neighbors, or another pre-made community you're a part of.  It's mush easier to get friends on board to end slavery than strangers.
3. Think big: Sure, Joanne could have just donated the money she spent on pie ingredients directly, but it would have been a lot less than $300!  Plus, now her community knows about the issue and is inspired to act too.  By starting a fundraiser in your community, you exponentially increase your impact because you're impacting those around you.

The moral of this tasty story? If you can bake pie, you can free slaves.  And if you can write or dance or organize or run or think, you can help end human trafficking.  And that is far more delicious than even an a la mode slice of freshly baked pie.