Nashville, Tenn. – Nashville's longstanding music, business and entertainment leaders, along with Matt & Sarah Hasselbeck and several members of the Titans team and front office, will join guests tomorrow evening at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel to support International Justice Mission (IJM) and fund the fight to rescue victims of violent oppression.
There are an estimated 27 million slaves in the world today—more than any other time in history. IJM is a human rights agency that brings rescue to victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression. This event, IJM's ninth in Nashville since 2002, is expected to draw a record-setting crowd of 550 guests, sponsors and table hosts.
Gary Haugen, IJM's president and CEO, will be featured at the benefit, and producer, singer and songwriter, Phil Madeira and special guests from the critically acclaimed album "Mercyland: Hymns for the Rest of Us," will bring musical talents to celebrate the groundbreaking successes IJM has had to effectively protect the poor and vulnerable.
"We are proud to team up with IJM because, in our opinion, they are the best human rights organization in the world," said Matt Hasselbeck, who serves as an honorary chairperson for the event alongside his wife, Sarah Hasselbeck. "Gary Haugen is inspiring and his passion has ignited awareness and proven that justice for the poor and exploited is possible. For us, once we learned of the good work IJM was doing, it was impossible for us to not want to partner with them."
"Human trafficking is a term that most of us know very little about, but when informed, all of us are heartbroken," said Bill Lee, of LEE Company and one of the Nashville chairpersons. "IJM is a powerful faith-based organization that allows me a way to participate in eradicating this terrible injustice around the world. IJM works on the ground in countries throughout the globe to identify perpetrators of sexual trafficking and human slavery, bring them to justice, and advocate for victims. IJM is one of the rare organizations that make significant change in the battle for social justice." Bill serves as chairperson alongside his wife, Maria. The Nashville benefit host committee is also led by Vice-Chairpersons Tim and Carissa Pereira.
About International Justice Mission
International Justice Mission is a human rights agency that brings rescue to victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression. IJM lawyers, investigators and aftercare professionals work in 15 communities in developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America with local officials to secure immediate victim rescue and aftercare, to prosecute perpetrators and to ensure that public justice systems – police, courts and laws – effectively protect the poor.
