MISSOULA — The LifeGuard Group held its inaugural fundraising breakfast Thursday morning, bringing together local business owners, community leaders and advocates to raise awareness about human trafficking in the community.
The LifeGuard Group operates a safe house for human trafficking victims and actively works to rescue women trapped in dangerous situations.
The event at the Missoula Fairgrounds was not just about raising money though. It was about opening eyes to a problem many do not realize exists locally.
Lowell Hochhalter, The LifeGuard Group founder, said the most powerful moment Thursday morning was hearing directly from those who have survived human trafficking.
"It's one thing to say 'Oh, this is what's happening.' But when you hear from a survivor, when you hear a story and realize we're not just talking about numbers, we're talking about people, and not just a group of people, we're talking about her. And I've heard her story and now I know it's real."
The breakfast featured a KPAX report highlighting local survivors' experiences and their journey to healing. One of those survivors shared her story with the packed room.
WATCH KPAX'S SPECIAL REPORT ON MONTANA TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS:
The morning also honored the Scheffer family of Frenchtown, who lost their teenage son to suicide after he was scammed in an online extortion scheme. The family now fights to protect other families from similar online dangers.
Montana recently released a free app called Simply Report that allows residents to submit tips about suspected cases of human trafficking directly to state officials. The app speeds up law enforcement response time to get help to victims faster.
The LifeGuard Group now plans to hold a fundraising breakfast annually. Click here to read more about their work.
WATCH JILL VALLEY'S 2023 REPORT ON A SEXTORTION SCAM THAT IMPACTED A MONTANA FAMILY:
