Kum & Go and Casey General Store are partnering with In Our Backyard to fight human trafficking.
In Our Backyard is a national nonprofit known for its anti-trafficking work. Its program, Convenience Stores Against Trafficking (CSAT), equips the convenience store industry to take a stand against the human trafficking in the U.S. through no-cost training, victim outreach materials and public awareness of human trafficking.
“Kum & Go is committed to improving our neighborhoods, and this partnership with CSAT is our most recent effort to make days better,” said Kum & Go President Tanner Krause. “If we can help just one person as a result, everything we do is worth it.”
Kum & Go has nearly 400 locations throughout the Midwest, and Casey’s has more than 2,100 stores in the Midwest and South. Together, their large footprint represents a multi-state effort to protect victims who have been conditioned to accept their circumstances and may not be able to seek out help on their own.
“Casey’s is always looking for ways to support and improve our communities” said Terry Handley, CEO of Casey’s. “We recognize that we can play an important role in identifying and deterring human trafficking in our communities.”
By leveraging a network of stores, many that are open 24 hours a day, Kum & Go and Casey’s can provide a collective neighborhood watch and safe haven made up of caring associates and customers.
“Our hope is that an employee will trust their gut and make a phone call immediately after suspected traffickers and victims have left the store,” said CSAT Program Director Juliana Williams. “That call can save a life and stop traffickers from exploiting more victims.”
