Million Kids is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization working with the Riverside County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force (RCAHT) combating child sex trafficking, labor trafficking, sex extortion and child pornography in our community. They were recently awarded a three year Department of Justice grant to assist the county anti-trafficking task force in training the public about how to keep youth safe from predators.
“This funding is critical in educating corporations, government agencies, school administrators, faith-based organizations and nonprofit groups about how traffickers operate and how to protect our community to keep our kids safe” said Opal Singleton, President and CEO of Million Kids. Million Kids has been serving Riverside County through education programs and public presentations for nearly five years and has trained tens of thousands of key individuals including parents and students about child exploitation.
Million Kids maintains a Facebook page (“Million Kids Riverside”) that posts information about sex trafficking focused on cases in Southern California. They also feature a section on missing youths from Riverside County to assist parents in helping to locate their missing teens. The Facebook page is a significant resource for the public to learn about human trafficking in our region.
Singleton recently authored a book “SEDUCED: The Grooming of America’s Teenagers” to educate parents and grandparents about how teenagers are seduced and groomed through social media, chat rooms and online games. It is rated five stars on Amazon.com. Singleton stated, “ I am grateful for the national attention this book is receiving because it is truly urgent that parents and grandparents understand the vulnerability for youth in an age where teens can be accessed by literally millions of strangers.”
In addition to educating organizations in Riverside County, Singleton has appeared on radio and television shows across the nation and was recently featured as an expert commentator on the subject of child pornography on MSNBC related to the Jared Fogle (Subway spokesperson) case.
“We are grateful the Department of Justice has provided funding to Riverside County through RCAHT and Million Kids,” said Singleton. “Human Trafficking is a hot bed issue in this county and we are committed to doing whatever is necessary to ensure we educate our community so they can be safe from predators.”
Earlier this year Soroptomists of Idyllwild held a Art and Wine fundraiser in support of Million Kids and those proceeds have been very helpful in supporting the work of educating the public and schools about child sex trafficking.
