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The Effingham Public Library will host a presentation on human trafficking, the fastest growing criminal enterprise in the world, and its impact in Central Illinois at 6 p.m. Thursday, March, 7 at Suzette Brumleve Memorial Effingham Public Library.

Annie Schomaker, who is the co-founder and director of development at Eden’s Glory, a home for survivors of human trafficking in Maryville, Illinois will discuss trafficking, the root causes and strategies for intervention. About 100,000 U.S. minors are sold into slavery every year and most people are victimized by someone they know and trust.

“Human trafficking is something most of us are aware of, but few of us are equipped and have the knowledge needed to help in those situations,” said Programming Outreach Manager Catherine Bailey. “The Human Trafficking presentation will provide vital information and the tools we need to intervene.”

Eden’s Glory in Maryville provides homes for survivors of human trafficking and helps equip communities to develop their own response to the issue by identifying trafficking in their own community, teaching prevention techniques to children and families to keep youth safe, and equipping service providers to use a trauma-informed approach in caring for survivors.

The founders of Eden’s Glory believe that everyone has a role to play in the movement to end human trafficking, and they work to provide insights to community members in regard to the realities of human trafficking in the United States. To learn more about Eden’s Glory, visit www.edensglory.org.

Registration is required for this event. For further information or to register, the library can be contacted at 217-342-2464 x1, email info@effinghamlibrary.org, or go online at www.effinghamlibrary.org