‘The Scarlet Cord’

Film Premiere

Grand Rapids, MI – September, 2015 – Women At Risk, International will be hosting a  film premiere on Tuesday, September 15, at the Grand Rapids Public Museum from 6-8pm with ArtPrize artist, Pamela Alderman. The film, based on the exhibit “The Scarlet Cord” will premiere following a panel discussion around modern day human trafficking.  The cost of admission is $5.  Pre-registration is now closed, but tickets will be available a the door.

At ArtPrize 2014, Alderman displayed her piece, The Scarlet Cord through a partnership with WAR, Int’l, in hopes of raising awareness of human trafficking in the United States. Through that same partnership, community members will have the opportunity to learn about the face of human trafficking in West Michigan at this program on September 15.

This event will feature a panel that will include Pamela Alderman, WAR, Int’l president, Becky McDonald, author of “A Vulnerable World” and communication specialist at Acton Institute, Elise Hilton, Senator Judy Emmons, and Vanessa, a trafficking survivor. Each speaker will share about the injustices of modern-day slavery, and will follow with a Q&A session. After the panel session, the video will be premiered.

This video features the reactions of those who walked through Alderman’s art installation during the 2015 Super Bowl in Phoenix. Through this piece, Alderman met trafficking and sexual abuse survivors who also shared their reactions as they experienced her art. This touching film also features human trafficking statistics and information on the horrors many children in America face.

The event will conclude with volunteers tying the infamous scarlet cords on the wrists of those in attendance as an ever-present reminder of the pain those engulfed in human trafficking experience each and every day.

Please note that this program and film may include content that could be disturbing.

Get Involved

We are asking those who are passionate about ending human trafficking, or want to learn more about this injustice, to come to the Grand Rapids Public Museum at 6:00 p.m. on September 15, to learn how you can be apart of the solution. This will be a time to get questions answered, hear from professionals in the fight against modern-day slavery, hear first hand from a survivor and experience a first-look into Pamela Alderman’s newest video, The Scarlet Cord.

For more information, please contact:

Women At Risk, International
(616) 855-0796
www.warinternational.org

About Women At Risk, International

WAR, Int’l is a non-profit organization that works in nearly 40 countries addressing 14 risk issues. The purpose of WAR, Int’l is to create circles of protection and hope around at-risk women and children through culturally sensitive, sustainable projects and partnerships. WAR, Int’l has a passion for giving a voice to the silenced cries of the oppressed while wrapping arms of love around them, and empowering them to live with hope and dignity.

 About The Scarlet Cord

 The Scarlet Cord is an award-winning art exhibit aimed at raising awareness of child sex trafficking. The unique art exhibit is housed in a 40-foot storage container that includes thirty weathered doors with portraits bound by a twisted scarlet cord. Arist Pamela Alderman’s motivation for creating The Scarlet Cord installation and video was to inspire healing for sex-trafficked children. To schedule an exhibit or video premiere, contact the artist at www.watercolorbypamela.com.

Scarlet Cord 1Scarlet Cord 3 ArtPrize-Pamela-AldermanHope for India - Sweetie

Summer Sales = Bliss

Some of you have been anticipating our annual sale all year. Well, we have good news for you: you can breathe easy because our annual Sidewalk Sale is back and you’re not going to want to miss this! We are hosting the sale at all three boutique locations the rest of this month. This is a sample sale that meets a sidewalk sale – and it will support women worldwide! There will be one-of-a-kind samples from our product partners, slightly flawed scarf clearance bins, and clearance jewelry to sort through.

It is our passion to partner with champions around the globe who ensure women who create the beautiful products sold in our boutiques work in safe environments. These women are empowered in the workplace, receive fair wages, and learn about the love of Christ in the process. Supporting our boutique helps keep these women all around the world (including here in the United States) employed.

Our items make the perfect birthday, anniversary or Christmas gifts, but we also know that you are worth pampering! So, stop by and buy something for a friend, or for yourself.

Sidewalk Sale 2015If you live around the Naperville, IL area, visit our boutique July 9, 10 and 11. If you’re near Rockford, MI, check out our store’s sale July 16, 17 and 18. And if you’re around our Wyoming boutique, come stop by July 23, 24 or 25 to snag a few beautiful pieces at discounted prices. The sale will run from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. each day at each boutique. If it happens to rain on any of these dates, the sale will be moved inside, so don’t fret!

If you don’t live near one of our shops, you are welcome to check out hundreds of discounted items on our website at warchestboutique.com, as well.

Come be a part of this event and join us on any of those July dates – we can’t wait to see you!

Quench Your Thirst for Freedom

Party with purpose!

This summer, keep cool and party on by hosting a product party with Women at Risk! You’ll receive a free hostess tumbler as our thanks to you. Hosting is easy—we send you all the products and displays, and it’s a great way to beat that summer boredom with family and friends. Our products are fashionable, practical, and support women’s safehouses and enterprises all over the world. Whether you choose a handbag or a one-of-a-kind jewelry piece, you’ll know your purchase has a purpose in helping lift at-risk women to dignity and freedom. So what are you waiting for? Call us today to plan your party and receive your free hostess tumbler. Quench your thirst for freedom with a Woman at Risk product party!

Rescue without Thinking

Giving in everyday life

Sometimes giving can be tricky. When you’re already paying for food, clothing, heating, internet, water, gas, education, insurance, and anything else you may need to get by, it’s easy to forget about charitable donations. Several retail companies have invented solutions, constructing programs that seriously simplify the process of helping your community. Here are some programs that allow you to give women and children a hand-up. Best of all, each one has a signup fee of $0.

 

  1. Gordon Food Service’s Fun Funds
    WAR, Int’l’s Organization Number: 2553356

Nowadays, giving can be as easy as buying groceries, especially through GFS’s Fast Funds. When you sign up for this program, you will receive a card. Present it to the cashier, and each item you purchase will earn WAR, Int’l anywhere between 1 and 10 percent rebate. As an added bonus, you’ll receive monthly emails that feature specials and coupons. To sign up for this program, either visit GFS’s website and fill out the form, or talk to a GFS Store Manager. Customer service will then give you a card that you can use every time you shop at GFS.

 

  1. Amazon Smile
    WAR, Int’l’s Listing: Women at Risk International Inc

Whether you’re buying a college textbook or a birthday gift for your nephew, Amazon Smile offers an easy way to give while you shop. Simply stop by their website (smile.amazon.com), sign in with your usual Amazon account, and type the name of the organization you’d like to support. Every time you make a purchase through Amazon Smile, a portion of the proceeds will go to WAR, Int’l.

 

  1. Meijer Community Rewards (MCR)
    WAR, Int’l’s Code: 515687

If you prefer to do your weekly grocery shopping at Meijer, MCR is a great option for you. Sign up online or in-store to receive a Meijer 1 Card, which you can swipe when paying with cash or a debit card. You can also take advantage of MCR with a Meijer credit card (which offers greater rewards). Apply for one online or in-store, or call 1-800-962-7011 to add an MCR account to an existing Meijer credit card. Either way, Meijer will send along a portion of their sales to WAR, Int’l.

However you choose to give—be it a direct donation to WAR, Int’l or an indirect donation through one of these programs—know that every penny counts in the struggle to save at-risk women and children.

Love Mom, Love Justice

Host a Mother’s Day party with purpose!

This May, what better way to celebrate Mother’s Day with your mom or daughter than by hosting a product party with WAR, International? At no cost to you, you can spend a meaningful evening in your home with family and friends, mothers-day-2015perusing our beautiful products from more than 25 countries. You can try on jewelry selections, buy intricate handmade journals and gifts, and learn how women around the world are empowered through the programs of Women At Risk and the support of people like you.

From scarves and headbands to soaps and hand-beaded jewelry, there is something for everyone at a product party. Surprise your mother with a fun party in her honor, or invite your daughter and her friends to each pick out their own special gift. However you choose to do it, hosting a party in honor of Mother’s Day is a powerful and generous way to celebrate the mothers and daughters in your life. You’ll bring joy to your guests and empowerment to women around the world. Just $250 in sales can keep a rescued woman in a safehouse for one month! For Mother’s Day, give the gift of fellowship and fun with a product party as you give the gift of dignity and hope to the world’s at-risk women.