Pennsylvania Turnpike volunteers make care kits for human trafficking survivors
EMPLOYEES. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, MATT AND CAITLIN. IF YOU SEE THIS SIGN OUT IN PUBLIC, THIS UNIVERSAL SIGN, YOU KNOW THAT A HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIM IS CALLING OUT FOR HELP. AND TODAY THE PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE IS TAKING THEIR MISSION A STEP FURTHER. TAKE A LOOK AT THESE EMPLOYEES. THEY ARE HERE UP EARLY, PACKAGING THESE BOXES FOR SURVIVORS. USUALLY WHEN THEY ARE RESCUED, THEY DON’T HAVE ESSENTIALS LIKE SOAP OR A TOOTHBRUSH OR EVEN SOME BODY WASH OR SHAMPOO. AND NOW THEY HAVE SOME ITEMS OF THEIR OWN. I HAVE KAREN JOINING ME THIS MORNING. SHE IS WITH THE PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE, AND SHE’S GOING TO BE PACKING SOME OF THESE BOXES AS WELL. WHAT CAN PEOPLE AT HOME DO TO HELP AND JOIN IN ON THIS MISSION? OH, ABSOLUTELY. WHAT A GREAT QUESTION. THERE’S SO MUCH YOU CAN DO. YOU CAN CONTACT YOUR LOCAL CHARITIES, YOUR LOCAL YWCA. THERE ARE SO MANY PLACES THAT EVERY PERSON CAN GET INVOLVED, AND THAT’S REALLY WHAT WE WANT. WE WANT TO SHOW THAT INVOLVEMENT IS KEY TO RECOVERY AND SUCCESS FOR OUR VICTIMS. NOW, YOU AND I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT UNIVERSAL SIGN, RIGHT, THAT WE’VE BEEN SHOWING OUR VIEWERS ALL MORNING. TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SEE THIS SIGN IN DIFFERENT PLACES, DIFFERENT STORES, RESTAURANTS. IT CAN BE HIDDEN AND YOU MAY WANT TO HAVE A CLOSE EYE FOR THAT. ABSOLUTELY. WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE HAND SIGNAL FOR HELP, YOU KNOW, RAISING YOUR HAND AND JUST LITERALLY MAKING THAT, THAT SIGN, YOU KNOW, THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU’RE IN THE GROCERY STORE, IF SOMEONE BUMPS INTO YOU, TURN AROUND AND LOOK AT THEM AND LOOK TO SEE IF THEY’RE ACTUALLY SHOWING THIS SIGN. IF YOU’RE DRIVING ON A ROADWAY OR ANY ROADWAY, LOOK IN THE WINDOWS OF THE VEHICLES NEXT TO YOU. BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS. IF YOU EVER SEE THIS SIGN, IF YOU’RE ON THE TURNPIKE DIAL STAR 11, YOU WILL IMMEDIATELY HAVE HELP. IF YOU’RE ANYWHERE ELSE, DIAL 911. YOU WILL IMMEDIATELY GET THAT HELP. NOW, I DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL COUNTIES IN OUR AREA, INCLUDING FRANKLIN, DAUPHIN, LANCASTER, YORK AND SO MANY OTHERS THAT ARE SEEING HIGH OFFENSES WHEN IT COMES TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING. BUT FRANKLIN COUNTY BEING THE HIGHEST AT 14%. DOES THAT CHANGE THE WAY THAT YOU APPROACH THIS CAMPAIGN? AND ARE YOU GUYS GOING TO DO DIFFERENT THINGS NEXT YEAR? ABSOLUTELY NOT. WE ARE GOING TO KEEP INCREASING WHAT WE DO HERE. THE DONATIONS THAT WE HAVE ARE FOR ALL SURVIVORS, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT NO MATTER WHAT COUNTY YOU’RE COMING FROM, THAT WE CAN HAVE SOMETHING THERE FOR YOU. IF YOU HAD A MESSAGE THAT YOU COULD SHARE WITH THE SURVIVORS THAT WILL BE RECEIVING THESE BOXES TODAY, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? SPEAK UP, REACH OUT. IF YOU’RE WATCHING THIS, THIS BROADCAST RIGHT NOW, AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU’RE BEING HELD AGAINST YOUR WILL FOR ANY REASON, DIAL STAR 11. IF YOU’RE ANYWHERE NEAR THE TURNPIKE WILL GET YOU HELP. 911 MAKE THE CALL. SAVE YOURSELF. KAREN. THANK YOU. WELL, IF YOU ARE A VICTIM LIKE SHE SAID, OR IF YOU WANT, IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING, DIAL THAT NUMBER RIGHT THERE ON YOUR SCREEN THAT YOU SEE THERE AND GET SOME HELP IMMEDIATEL
Pennsylvania Turnpike volunteers make care kits for human trafficking survivors
Updated: 7:21 AM EDT Mar 19, 2026
Employees with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission packed care boxes Thursday for survivors of human trafficking in the Susquehanna Valley as part of an annual outreach effort.According to organizers, survivors often do not have basic essentials when they are rescued, making the donated care boxes an important resource.Advocates say human trafficking can happen anywhere and are encouraging the public to learn ways to recognize when someone may need help. One tool is the universal hand signal for distress: Hold one hand up with the palm facing outward, tuck the thumb into the palm, then fold the fingers down over the thumb.Anyone who is experiencing human trafficking, or who believes someone else may be a victim, is urged to call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. See news happening? Send us your photos or videos if it’s safe to do so at https://www.wgal.com/upload.
Employees with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission packed care boxes Thursday for survivors of human trafficking in the Susquehanna Valley as part of an annual outreach effort.
According to organizers, survivors often do not have basic essentials when they are rescued, making the donated care boxes an important resource.
Advocates say human trafficking can happen anywhere and are encouraging the public to learn ways to recognize when someone may need help.
One tool is the universal hand signal for distress: Hold one hand up with the palm facing outward, tuck the thumb into the palm, then fold the fingers down over the thumb.
WGAL News 8
Universal human trafficking hand signal
Anyone who is experiencing human trafficking, or who believes someone else may be a victim, is urged to call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
See news happening? Send us your photos or videos if it’s safe to do so at https://www.wgal.com/upload.