Sunset Beach charity car wash cancelled over drought concerns

Everyone can take part in the global fight against modern-day slavery, says Katie Ford, former CEO of her family’s modelling agency and an Island summer resident for more than 20 years.

Here on the Island, she says, a simple trip to a charity car wash has actually made a difference in the lives of people caught up in human trafficking and forced labor.

The annual event in the parking lot of the Sunset Beach Hotel and Restaurant, was cancelled by the hotel this year due to concerns about water shortages.

It has raised thousands of dollars for the Freedom for All Foundation, formerly the Katie Ford Foundation, Ms. Ford said.
“Their support has been wonderful,” she said.

The fund assists local agencies in developing programs to free people caught up in human trafficking or forced labor and to provide them with shelter, rehabilitation and reintegration services.

Equally important, she says, are programs that seek to prevent slavery, by educating young people about their rights and cautioning them about the ways in which they might be exploited.

While Islanders can’t get their cars washed for charity this summer, they can still support Ms. Ford in her work.

To learn more about the foundation or make a donation, visit freedomforall.org.