Seattle, WA - Portland and Seattle-based nature, adventure and culinary tour operator, EverGreen Escapes, announces it will donate 1% of all online sales to ECPAT - USA (End Child Prostitution and Trafficking.) EverGreen Escapes is a member of Adventure Travel Trade Association, who signed the Tourism Child-Protection Code of Conduct in October.
Founder and Chief Escape Officer Jake Haupert was looking for the right organization to support, “with so many incredible organizations out there, it was very difficult for me to identify the right one. Then, Shannon Stowell from the ATTA announced their support of ECPAT, thus bringing them to my attention, and from that very moment, their mission resonated on a deeper and more personal level. After digging in a bit a more, I knew we had found our match." Starting April 1, 2013, 1% of all of EverGreen Escapes’ online sales will go to ECPAT-USA to help end child prostitution and trafficking.
ECPAT-USA is the American arm of an international organization that works to end the commercial exploitation of children for sexual purposes. Founded in 1991, ECPAT-USA seeks to attack the problem from every conceivable angle, including legislative reform, education and awareness, international outreach and direct services for victims. They work to achieve these goals through a number of initiatives, much of it focusing on partnerships with the travel and tourism industry.
Most people would agree that every child has the right to live free from commercial sexual exploitation, but everyday and in every country innocent children fall prey to criminals who enslave and pimp them, endangering their lives and robbing them of their physical and emotional well-being. It’s time to put an end to this scourge and responsible tour operators can help.