Dan Langan For AT&T (717) 571-1743 dan@langanpublicaffairs.

com

Sara Pomeroy Richmond Justice Initiative (RJI) 804-878-1729 Sara.Pomeroy@mondialUSA.com

AT&T HELPS RICHMOND JUSTICE INITIATIVE CREATE YOUTH PREVENTION AND AWARENESS PROGRAM Initiative designed to prevent human trafficking in Virginia RICHMOND, Va. (January 11, 2012) A contribution from AT&T to the Richmond Justice Initiative (RJI) will help the organization further develop programming to help prevent human trafficking. Vince Apruzzese, regional vice president for AT&T in Virginia, joined officials from RJI and other state leaders for a special event that marked International Human Trafficking Awareness Day. Other participants included Virginia Secretary of the Commonwealth Janet Polarek; Sen. Adam Ebbin; Del. Kaye Kory; Del. Vivian Watts; Del. Tim Hugo; and local educators who will be part of the project. RJI will use a $25,000 contribution from AT&T to create a youth prevention and awareness project and a train-the-trainer prevention project that will include curriculum development; in- and afterschool workshops with middle and high school youth; prevention outreach events; and a training documentary of the "Prevention Project" to be used by the students as they train other students throughout the Commonwealth and the country. This project will educate a group of young people on the issues of Modern Day Slavery so they can raise awareness in their school; prevent young people from being trafficked; and create a model for sustainability of the "Prevention Project". Sara Pomeroy, founder and executive director of RJI said: "We are beyond grateful for the generosity of AT&T and their commitment to prevention education in our local communities. RJI is committed to be a part of the movement to end modern-day slavery through awareness, education, advocacy and prevention education. Pomeroy added that AT&Ts support for the program will not only help to stop the trafficking of youth before it starts by educating them on the issue, it is also designed to raise a generation of 21st Century abolitionists by teaching them leadership and mentorship skills and social and global responsibility, giving them the skills needed to raise awareness in their schools and communities. Secretary Polarek talked about the importance of confronting human trafficking and the importance of the public and private sectors working together to curb the problem.

Human trafficking is an especially devious crime that damages human dignity, robs individual freedoms, and must be confronted swiftly and firmly. Government action, however, is only part of the solution. Its encouraging to see private sector corporations and non-profits like AT&T and the Richmond Justice Initiative working together to curb this horrific, growing problem. During the event, other Virginia policymakers talked about the importance of the RJIs work and how AT&Ts contribution will help the organization meet its goals. Senator-elect Adam P. Ebbin said: "I commend AT&T for their commitment to end human trafficking of youth and children. While serving in the House of Delegates, I introduced and worked to pass legislation addressing this important issue. In the Senate, I am introducing a bill to train Virginia teachers and guidance counselors in recognizing, preventing, and fighting human trafficking. AT&T's generous contribution will allow RJI to provide an important model for this training." Del. Kory said: "I wrote the bill that designated January 11th as International Human Trafficking Awareness Day, to bring attention to this terrible crime that is becoming more and more prevalent worldwide. Human trafficking is a violent crime that violates the founding principles of our Commonwealth and our nation." Del. Tim Hugo said: "I applaud AT&T for their commitment to joining the fight against the modern day slavery that is human trafficking, by awarding RJI this Prevention Project Grant. This grant will bring awareness to schools in Richmond and the surrounding communities that will stop trafficking before it starts by educating the kids that are at risk." Apruzzese said that the contribution is aligned health and human services category of the AT&T Foundations funding priorities, since the RJI project uses innovative and/or collaborative approaches to address key community health and human services issues. At AT&T, were committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives, said Apruzzese. Our support of this project is one way we can help combat human trafficking in Virginia and around the U.S. According to RJI, the prevention project will select and train 12 to 20 high-school youth using a curriculum designed from best practices used around the world to raise awareness about the dangers and implications of human trafficking. The curriculum program will have four components: Education about the problem of human trafficking: locally and globally; Development of healthy self-awareness and boundaries: teaching students to respect themselves and protect themselves. Character development: teaching students to take action locally and globally, to promote care of

other people, to be socially responsible global citizens; and Leadership development: develop skills necessary in students to lead this program at other schools. The students will be selected by application into the project. They will be taught what human trafficking is; how and where it happens; what it looks like locally and globally. RJI expects to launch the program in collaboration with Henrico County Public Schools and expand it to other schools around the Commonwealth of Virginia. For more information about RJI, visit http://www.rvaji.com/.

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