Serving Lasting Purpose is a year-long tradition at Life University (Life U), so we would like to catch you up on one shining example of that lived out. The Georgia Festival of Trees is an eight-day event that goes beyond festivity; it’s a meaningful venture striving to put an end to the trafficking of women and children in Georgia and beyond. In 2023, the festival welcomed nearly 20,000 guests at the GWCC from the greater Atlanta area. The event took place November 23-December 1, 2024, at the Gas South Convention Center in Duluth. Tabitha Copeland, Emily Saxon-Phillips, Rebecca Koch and Dr. Michael Smith volunteered for the Georgia Festival of Trees Tear Down, which involved wrapping trees for delivery, packing up the gift shop and reorganizing the warehouse for next year’s event. Other volunteers included Marilyn Shaw (Student Clinic), Michael Cartwright (Student Clinic) and Rebekah Shaw (community volunteer) and  It was a great experience!!!

Facts About the Cause

(Adapted from Covenant House Georgia article, “HUMAN TRAFFICKING & CHILD SLAVERY”)

Modern slavery in the form of human trafficking is a stark reality, stealing the innocence of countless victims every year. But amidst this darkness, the collaboration between the Georgia Festival of Trees, Street Grace and Atlanta Redemption Ink shines a light on the power of collective action. Let’s arm ourselves with some knowledge about this prevalent issue.

  • 85% of confirmed sex trafficking victims are U.S. citizens, mostly runaway children.
  • Atlanta was named by the FBI as one of 14 US cities with the highest rate of children used in sex trafficking.
  • In Georgia, 12,400 men purchase sex with young women in any given month.
  • Approximately 100 adolescent females are sexually exploited each night in Georgia.
  • In Georgia, adolescent females controlled by the child sex trafficking trade are sexually exploited by an adult male on an average of three times per night.

To learn more or to donate to this worthy cause, visit gafestivaloftrees.org.