Freed People hosted its sold-out “The
One” Gala on May 1, welcoming more
than 500 guests for an emotional and
impactful evening dedicated to
confronting the reality of child
trafficking and mobilizing action across
Texas and beyond.
The annual gala brought together
community leaders, supporters,
advocates, law enforcement
partners, and survivors for a night
focused on awareness, rescue,
restoration, and hope.
Guests heard directly from Freed
People recovery teams, a Homeland
Security Special Agent, and
Founder & CEO Matt Shelton, who provided
a behind-the-scenes look into the fight
to locate and recover exploited
women and children.
A major focus of the evening was VISION
(Vector-Intelligence-System-Identifying-Organized
Networks),
Freed People’s proprietary technology
platform designed to accelerate the
identification and recovery of missing
children.
While many missing children listed
through the National Center
for Missing & Exploited Children can
remain unidentified for extended
periods, VISION is helping teams locate
victims in a matter of days.
One case highlighted during the evening
involved a missing girl whose online
advertisement was identified
within minutes of being posted, despite
her being located six states away.
Freed People coordinated with local law enforcement, resulting in
her recovery the very same day.
Organization leaders shared that this
type of rapid response has the potential
to significantly reduce the
prolonged trauma many victims experience
while missing.
“The One Gala is more than an event — it
is a call to action,” said
Matt Shelton. “Every person in
that room represents hope, freedom, and
the belief that together we can help
recover victims, restore lives,
and end exploitation in our
communities.”
The evening featured dinner,
entertainment, live and silent auctions,
survivor-centered stories, and
mission moments that highlighted the
organization’s ongoing outreach,
intercept operations, analyst
teams, and survivor care partnerships
throughout Texas.
By the end of the evening, the
event raised more than $921,000
to support ongoing recovery operations,
expansion of VISION technology,
and long-term survivor care efforts.
According to organization leaders, Texas
remains one of the states most heavily
impacted by human trafficking,
with an estimated 313,000 victims
statewide, including approximately
79,000 minors exploited
through sex trafficking.
www.Freedpeople.org
|
824 S. Crowley Rd. Suite 18, Crowley, TX
76036 | 817.584.1431
More than just a fundraiser, the evening
marked a shift from awareness to action,
as hundreds of attendees left with
a deeper understanding of the issue and
a renewed commitment to joining the
fight against exploitation.
Founded in Texas, Freed People work
alongside law enforcement agencies,
survivor care organizations, and
trained outreach teams to identify
victims, disrupt trafficking operations,
and provide long-term support for
survivors |