Photo Credit: Keith Allison

By Anthea Danby | Contributor

Moderated by former Dallas Cowboy, Tyler Clutts, the virtual event aims to engage men in the fight to eradicate sex trafficking and exploitation, while also raising critical funds for New Friends New Life.

New Friends New Life (NFNL) invites the community to take part in the free, virtual 2020 Men’s Breakfast presented by the Men’s Advocacy Group (MAG) on Monday, July 27 at 8:30 a.m., featuring former MLB first baseman and anti-human trafficking activist, Adam LaRoche. The event is co-chaired by Bill Minick, MAG Board Member and Chairman of PartnerSource, and Zeke Fortenberry, MAG Member and Attorney at Fortenberry Firm, PLLC. The annual fundraiser traditionally hosted in-person, will be offered for free to the community and conducted virtually in light of COVID-19.

“On behalf of the Men’s Advocacy Group, we invite the entire community to join us virtually to learn more about how men in particular can change the conversation around the trafficking and exploitation of women and girls in our communities,” said Minick.

Moderated by former Dallas Cowboy and MAG member, Tyler Clutts, the event aims to engage men in the fight to eradicate sex trafficking and exploitation, while also raising critical funds for New Friends New Life.

LaRoche advocates on behalf of women and girls who are and have been subjected to sex trafficking. After participating in an undercover rescue operation of child victims in Southeast Asia, LaRoche felt called to act. From that moment onward, he has devoted his time and efforts to address this cause. LaRoche retired from the MLB in 2016 after spending 12 years in the league and founded E3 Ranch & Co in 2017 with his wife, Jennifer. He is a powerful voice alerting others about the danger of sex trafficking nationally and internationally.

“We look forward to having this important conversation of how we can help restore and empower women and girls who have experienced the trauma of being trafficked or exploited,” said Fortenberry.

The NFNL Men’s Advocacy Group, an auxiliary of New Friends New Life, mobilizes men to take action against sex trafficking and exploitation by raising awareness through advocacy, education, and volunteerism. Over 300,000 individuals are victims of human trafficking in Texas alone – 70,000 are teens and children. New Friends New Life works to support and restore victims of trafficking. The first annual Men’s Breakfast presented by MAG launched in 2018 to cultivate and ignite candid dialogue with the purpose of unleashing the reality of human trafficking while also offering ways in which men and boys can join this fight.

To register for free to watch the event, or to become a breakfast sponsor, visit: https://www.newfriendsnewlife.org/2020magbreakfast

About New Friends New Life:
Founded in Dallas, Texas in 1998, New Friends New Life (NFNL) restores and empowers formerly trafficked and sexually exploited women, teen girls and children. By providing access to education, job training, interim financial assistance, mental health and spiritual support, New Friends New Life helps women, teen girls and children overcome backgrounds of abuse, addiction, poverty and limited opportunities. In 2019, NFNL served 372 members (clients). NFNL also educates the community and works to eradicate the epidemic of human trafficking through advocacy, legislative reform and strategic partnerships that address systemic causes. In 2018, NFNL opened a drop-in Youth Resource Center (YRC) in partnership with the Office of the Governor to serve trafficked and high-risk teen girls. More than 100 girls visited the YRC during its first year. In 2015, NFNL organized its Men’s Advocacy Group to engage men in the fight against sex trafficking and exploitation. For more information, visit http://www.newfriendsnewlife.org.