In Our Backyard
C-Stores to the Rescue

By Sharon Shuford
In 2018, the Georgia Association of Convenience Stores (GACS) partnered with In Our Backyard (IOB) to promote the Convenience Stores Against Trafficking Training. That’s when Caylee Hancock-Wright, Advertising Specialist with Jet Food Stores, first learned about IOB and how human trafficking rings use convenience stores to exploit their victims: C-Stores are readily accessible, easy in-and-out, with restrooms and snacks, and anonymity. 

The cause pulled her heartstrings. As a result, all of the Jet Food Stores participate in the program, display Freedom Stickers in their restrooms, and have gone through the video training provided – at no cost – by IOB.

In 2019, GACS worked with IOB to distribute Missing Children booklets all over Atlanta the weekend before the 2019 Super Bowl.  GACS had OVER 400 volunteers turn out on a Saturday, get trained, and distribute a whopping 1,200 booklets, freedom stickers in restrooms, and missing children's fliers in convenience stores.  THAT SAME DAY, ONE CHILD WAS FOUND!  

The week leading up to the Super Bowl, 169 arrests were made, 9 victims were recovered, and 9 more were identified! And it just kept getting better.... 

As of May 24, 2019, 29 of the 34 children who were in the Missing Children book had been recovered. THAT IS 85% recovery rate!!! 

Back to Caylee. Caylee and Cheryl Csiky, Executive Director of IOB, struck up a friendship that continues to this day. Cheryl invited Caylee to volunteer two years later, in 2021, before the Tampa Super Bowl. She and Michael Selby, Jet Food Stores’ Director of Operations, traveled to Tampa as IOB volunteers.  While there, Caylee spoke at a church event, encouraging potential volunteers to get involved. She and Michael also spent time listening to prison system phone calls, taking notes to pass on to an FBI agent who was present in their “command center.” One of the notes Caylee handed over led directly to the bust of a trafficking ring.

The photos here illustrate Caylee’s time in Tampa.
Today, Jet Food Stores includes IOB among the various charities that their annual golf tournament raises money for. 

With that, we are again asking you to give your time and support. This year, Major League Baseball will host the Baseball All-Star Game on July 15th at the Battery/ Truist Park in Cobb County, Georgia.  

The week prior, July 7-10, IOB will be operating a Command Post focused on combating human trafficking, right in our backyard. They are requesting virtual and in-person command post volunteers.

Will you give a little time this week to change a life forever?? If so, all you need to do is complete this Google form.  IOB will touch base with you and get you set up to make a life-changing difference.
 
Cheryl Csiky was on hand at the May Southern SHOW to answer questions.  If you can't give time, we know for certain her non-profit would love to include your company as a new sponsor! 
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We hope to see you in July at the Battery! 

Here is the link to the Google Form readers can click to sign up as a volunteer during the week prior to the Baseball All-Star Game on July 15 at the Battery/Truist Park in Cobb County:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScgSIqBJRpSfHY9qOuXVcW7wS4_OJRwXDVTvRrlI6MCHD2hNQ/viewform?pli=1
Georgia Association of Convenience Stores.  All Rights Reserved.
168 North Johnston Street, Suite 209  |  Dallas, Georgia 30132
Phone: (770) 736-9723 | [email protected] | sitemap