Idaho Anti-Trafficking Coalition

Supporting Survivors

By Katrina McDowell on May 17, 2023 in Giving

Yardi is committed to supporting the community in every city where our offices are housed. Each year, the company distributes philanthropic aid to organizations selected by its employees.

In 2022, Yardi offices supported more than 350 nonprofits worldwide. For the remainder of the year, we will bring you the stories of those organizations and insight into how they aid their communities.

Meet the Idaho Anti-Trafficking Coalition (IATC), founded in 2018 in Boise, Idaho, whose mission is to work alongside community members in providing awareness, education, services and safe housing for victims of human trafficking in Idaho.

The organization focuses on these six areas of service:

1. Community, outreach, educational training and advocacy– delivering survivor-centered outreach materials, research-based human trafficking 101 training, prevention and community awareness, technical assistance and community collaboration.

“In 2022, IATC provided 57 human trafficking 101 presentations, totaling 88 hours, with 1,579 individuals trained,” said Jennifer Zielinski, Executive Director of IATC.

• Crisis and Resource Hotline– privacy-protected call or text, trauma-informed intake, crisis/ emergency response, safety planning, direct resources and information, relocation assistance, and transportation.
• Direct Victim Services– victims’ rights, case management, crisis intervention, emergency intervention, emergency/transitional/permanent housing, victim advocacy/accompaniment, transportation, emergency food/clothing/essential, victim services and support.

Last year IATC provided over 500 individuals with thousands of counts of these assistances and services. 

• Resource Room– case planning, emotional and safety support, emergency food/clothing/essentials, information and referrals to local, state and national resources.
• Intervention Resources– victim-centered and trauma-informed intake/screening, trauma-specific assessment tools, victim advocacy, policy/system advocacy and safe delivery of services/continuum of care.
• Direct Service Delivery Network– education, facilitated community collaboration, multidisciplinary teams, community partnerships agreements and contract services.

IATC’s vision for the year ahead is to prioritize human trafficking in Idaho to keep the community and economy healthy and safe.

“We plan to continue expanding our anti-trafficking efforts to reach more communities so that Idaho’s children, youth, and adults will have access to a victim-centered system of care that contributes to their economic, health and safety,” shared Zielinski.

She continued, “We honor our coalition model through community engagement and are grateful for our staff, board of directors, volunteers, community partners, donors, and funders that continue to support the organization’s mission so that we can continue our work.”

Funding from Yardi will be utilized to directly support all IATC’s goals to strive for the same or even better outcomes for 2023.

“Without Yardi’s 2022 support and now, 2023 support, we would not be able to expand our efforts and face the reality of turning people away,” Zielinski shared.

IATC client success story

Sarah (not her real name) had a life-changing experience with the Idaho Anti-Trafficking Coalition.

IATC provided practical assistance in relocation to a safe place, providing resources for safe housing and assisting with car repairs and maintenance so she could get to work and school. Additionally, they helped her create a safety plan to maintain safety. Furthermore, IATC has provided ongoing rehabilitation and support to return to school, hoping to get a degree in social work.

With the help of IATC, Sarah got her CDL license and training to become a school bus driver, her first real job. They also provided her with the advocacy to ensure she receives the necessary support to become a survivor rather than a victim of human trafficking. The IATC helped Sarah regain control of her life and overcome the trauma of being a victim of severe human trafficking.

Volunteer Opportunities

IATC will have some volunteer opportunity events throughout the year. Yardi employees and the community are encouraged to contact Kevin Zielinski at [email protected] or 208-630-6601.

“IATC is grateful to everyone at Yardi for your support that has enabled us to pursue our mission of building trauma-informed, systemic responses throughout Idaho to combat Human Trafficking,” Zielinski shared.

Find future non-profit profiles at https://www.yardi.com/blog/category/giving.