The WMU Foundation has awarded grants through the Judith Slayden and David Warren Hayes Endowment to Combat Human Trafficking to two Christ-centered ministries. This year’s recipients are We Are FREE, which focuses on combatting human trafficking within the United States, and Set Free Alliance, which is helping to break the cycle of human trafficking internationally.
Established in December 2006 by Judith Slayden and David Warren Hayes, the endowment exists to support Christian ministries working to combat human trafficking, both overseas and within the US, through public awareness, prevention, poverty reduction, counseling, and programs that provide practical support and hope to survivors. Grants may also support education initiatives, housing, job skills training, and other efforts that aid victims and those at risk.
Through the faithful generosity of donors and endowment holders, the WMU Foundation supports ministries that provide prevention, restoration, and pathways to hope for survivors of trafficking. This year, grants from the Hayes Endowment are supporting the work of Set Free Alliance in Arkansas and We Are FREE in South Carolina.
“Through the faithful generosity of donors and endowment holders, the WMU Foundation is able to support ministries that bring hope and restoration to vulnerable people around the world and here at home,” said Peggy Darby, president of the WMU Foundation. “We are grateful for the work of these organizations and their commitment to serving children, women, and families impacted by trafficking. These grants demonstrate how faithful stewardship can help provide practical support and share the hope of Christ with those who have experienced unimaginable hardship.”
Set Free Alliance works internationally to end child slavery through prevention, rescue, and reunification while providing vocational training and Christ-centered encouragement to young women who have survived the trauma of child slavery.
“This grant represents far more than funding for vocational training—it represents a pathway to freedom, dignity, and hope for young women who have survived the trauma of child slavery,” said Claire Gooch, grants manager with Set Free Alliance. “With this support, six young women will receive hands-on tailoring training, mentorship, and Christ-centered encouragement that equips them with employable skills and the confidence to build independent and fruitful futures.”
Gooch continued, “We are deeply grateful for this investment and for the opportunity to continue breaking cycles of poverty and abuse through practical training, sustainable employment, and the life-changing hope found in Christ.”
We Are FREE serves survivors of human trafficking within the United States and raises awareness about human trafficking, provides restorative care, housing, and job readiness training in a supportive, caring, and safe environment.
Angelyn McMurry, Director of We Are Free, shares “We Are FREE is extraordinarily grateful to be the recipient of the Judith Slayden and David Warren Hayes Endowment to Combat Human Trafficking; the funding received will be aid in the sustainability of the job readiness program which provides clients (survivors of labor and/or sex trafficking) with immediate earning potential, job related soft skills, and the ability to transition into long-term employment and independence.”
The WMU Foundation provides grants, scholarships, and charitable giving opportunities that support the ministry of WMU and the causes it supports.
For more information about the Judith Slayden and David Warren Hayes Endowment to Combat Human Trafficking and ways to give, visit wmufoundation.com/ways-to-give.