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A Message From Our Executive Director
What is human trafficking and who is leading the movement to end it? Amanda Finger shares the recent history of anti-trafficking in the United States and LCHT’s work to mobilize a community-based response in Colorado.Find out how you can make a difference. Together we can end human trafficking.
"LCHT’s response to human trafficking can and should be used as a model for other states. Because LCHT is an organization informed by data and research, collaboration with survivors, multidisciplinary efforts from partnerships across the state, and values of social justice and human dignity, their local response is more likely to produce lasting, beneficial change."
- Danielle F., 2020 Intern
“LCHT is run by well-informed individuals passionate about making macro and micro level changes to combat human trafficking in Colorado. The most impressive aspect of this group is their prioritization of the experience and autonomy of survivors, not what they read in academic journals or hear from policy makers."
- Colleen D., Hotline Advocate
“LCHT’s training enabled me to consider the labor aspect of human trafficking, which I really had not considered much before. It allowed me to develop a plan of action to train our clinical team to address these issues nonjudgmentally— with compassion and empathy. It also taught our staff members to address any human trafficking issues that our patients may present with during treatment planning.”
-Dianne Hayhurst-Virgil, Crossroads Turning Points
Vision: The end of human trafficking.
Mission: To inform social change that eliminates human exploitation.
In 2005, under the leadership of Amanda Finger, we formed a state chapter of the national NGO Polaris Project. At the time, the national response to human trafficking was still very new. Amanda was moved by a desire to see her generation uphold human rights more effectively. In Colorado, early efforts to combat human trafficking were isolated, uncoordinated, and disconnected from data. This reality led Amanda, alongside Dr. AnnJanette (AJ) Alejano-Steele, to establish an independent 501(c)3 in 2009 called the Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking (LCHT).
In the years since, our programs have become critical to supporting survivors and strengthening Colorado’s response.
Since our official launch in 2009, we have:
*Conducted four major research projects in Colorado to drive action, inform policy change, and promote a more data-informed response to human trafficking
*Led the operation of Colorado’s 24/7 Human Trafficking Hotline, connecting callers and texters with a growing statewide network of agencies who engage in support services
*Trained more than 53,000 community members and professionals in a position to identify and serve survivors
*Supported nearly 200 aspiring human rights leaders through our Leadership Development Program
Organization name
Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking
other names
LCHT, Polaris Project Colorado
2009
Tax id (EIN)
27-0662292
Category
Public & Societal Benefit
Organization Size
Large Organization
Address
1031 33rd Street Suite 237Denver County, CO, US
Phone
303-295-0451
Other
866-455-5075