85.05%
| Element | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Administrative | $499,849.00 |
| Fundraising | $921,963.00 |
| Program | $8,108,870.00 |
Why give to Operation Underground Railroad?
- Our progress toward the permanent eradication of child sex trafficking would be impossible without the consistent and generous support of our donors. Operation Underground Railroad is a 501 (c) (3) organization. All donations are completely tax deductible. We have a proven track record of responsible stewardship over donated funds.
Who rescues children from trafficking?
Phantom Rescue is an elite group of former Law Enforcement, FBI, State Department, US Special Operations, & Business Professionals who have united with one clear objective…to eradicate child trafficking through education, outreach and by assisting authorities with identifying the Global Sex Trafficking Industry Network
How do you get involved with the operation Underground Railroad?
To sign up, go to ourrescue.org click Join The Fight and then click Volunteer. Volunteers do to raise funds and awareness are:
- Bake sales.
- 5k Runs.
- Sport tournaments (basketball, pickleball, bowling)
- School/community assemblies.
- Operation Toussaint documentary screening parties.
Is Gardy Mardy still missing?
Three-year-old little Gardy is now seven. He is still missing, but he is not forgotten.
Was Gardy Mardy found?
While it never found Gardy, OUR has said that hunting for him led to innumerable other rescues. The organization and Ballard have said that they’re still searching for the boy to this day, and that in the process, children around the world have been liberated from traffickers.
Is Tim Ballard LDS?
After growing up in California, Ballard attended Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he went on a church mission to Chile and then graduated cum laude from BYU with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and Political Science.
Where is human trafficking most common?
In the United States, it is most prevalent in Texas, Florida, New York and California. Human trafficking is both a domestic and global crime, with victims trafficked within their own country, to neighboring countries and between continents.
What is the operation Underground Railroad jump team?
They are the Jump Team of Operation Underground Railroad, and they rescue children from sex traffickers. For O.U.R., that includes gathering intelligence, working with local law enforcement, and understanding how the traffickers are organized and move children. In only six months, O.U.R. has rescued 59 children.
Does the Underground Railroad still exist?
It includes four buildings, two of which were used by Harriet Tubman. Ashtabula County had over thirty known Underground Railroad stations, or safehouses, and many more conductors. Nearly two-thirds of those sites still stand today.
Who built the Underground Railroad?
In the early 1800s, Quaker abolitionist Isaac T. Hopper set up a network in Philadelphia that helped enslaved people on the run.
Was the Underground Railroad a success?
Ironically the Fugitive Slave Act increased Northern opposition to slavery and helped hasten the Civil War. The Underground Railroad gave freedom to thousands of enslaved women and men and hope to tens of thousands more. In both cases the success of the Underground Railroad hastened the destruction of slavery.
Who is Gardy?
The Gardy Effect is a real-life testimony of “the power of one.” Eleven-year-old Gardy Mardy— dual citizen of both Haiti and the United States of America—was kidnapped from his church in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince on December 6, 2009, when he was just shy of his third birthday.
Operation Underground Railroad – Wikipedia
| Abbreviation | O.U.R. |
|---|---|
| Named after | Underground Railroad |
| Founded | October 2013 |
| Founder | Timothy Ballard |
| Founded at | Salt Lake City,Utah |
| Type | Non-governmental organization,non-profit organization |
| Focus | Humanitarian |
| Headquarters | Anaheim, California |
| Area served | Global |
| Method | Rescue |
| Key people | Tim Ballard |
| Website | ourrescue.org |
A non-profit organization based in the United States, Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.) has the stated goal of assisting government agencies in the rescue of human trafficking and sexual trafficking victims, with a particular emphasis on children, with the overall goal of eliminating sexual trafficking worldwide. Founded in 2013 by Tim Ballard, a former officer of the United States Department of Homeland Security in Cedar City, Utah, the organisation has grown rapidly. As the subject of several investigative series in 2020, Ballard and O.U.R.
As of April 2020, the Organization for the Unification of Refugees reported 3000 victims rescued and 182 traffickers apprehended.
As of October of that year, the O.U.R.
History
Prior to launching O.U.R., Tim Ballard worked as a Special Agent for the Department of Homeland Security for 12 years, where he was a member of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the United States Child Sexual Exploitation Jump Team. According to Ballard, he was dissatisfied with the absence of techniques adopted to rescue abducted and trafficked children in developing countries, as well as the difficulty to punish perpetrators in situations that were not tied to the United States of America.
The organization’s headquarters are in Salt Lake City, Utah, but it also has offices in Southern California and the Pacific Northwest.
Molen to chronicle the planning and activity pertaining to a few covert operations for a feature film in order to increase awareness and support for the cause.
Operations
Following the organization’s stated mission, it collaborates with supportive governments and groups in one or more of the following activities: prevention, discovery and preparedness; rescue; victim rehabilitation programs; and fundraising. Its members are former military and law enforcement officers, as well as other volunteers who provide a hand in various capacities.
Efforts to rescue victims of human trafficking are broken down into operations, which include planning, training, and/or direct engagement. According to O.U.R., the organization does not operate freely or without the cooperation and assistance of the government.
Criticism
According to a 2020Vice News investigation, the group engaged in “a strategy of image-burnishing and mythology-building, a succession of exaggerations that are, taken together, highly deceptive,” according to the report. The organization One United Rescue claimed to have saved a lady named “Liliana,” who according to court testimony had escaped on her own will. Transparency in the organization’s spending is also lacking. One of O.U.R.’s practices, according to a follow-up article from 2021, was that it used “jump teams” of inexperienced donors and celebrities, did not conduct meaningful surveillance or identification of targets, did not validate whether the people they intended to rescue were in fact actual trafficking victims, and did not differentiate between consent-based sexual work and human trafficking.
for propagating the far-right QAnonconspiracy theory.
Investigative Reports and Criminal Investigations
On August 27, 2020, Lynn Packer of the American Crime Journal announced in a video breaking news that criminal complaints had been submitted to the Davis County District Attorney’s office in Farmington, Utah, according to the American Crime Journal. American psychologist John Dehlin had an interview with Packer, an award-winning investigative journalist and seasoned Utah reporter, which was later broadcast on his Mormon Stories Podcast. Asked why such an important “development for the state of Utah and the LDS Church” was not disclosed or “being chased” by mainstream Utah media, Dehlin, who is an excommunicated member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints(LDS Church), said, “It’s because it’s a secret.” As Packer stated, the state media and the LDS Church were involved in legitimizing Operation Underground Railroad with little to no control and fact-checking on the part of the state government.
In his statement, Packer said that he had spent the previous five years looking into Tim Ballard and Operation Underground Railroad.
and Tim Ballard were under criminal investigation by the Attorney’s Office of Davis County, Utah, in October 2020, following reports that O.U.R.
Tim Ballard summoned officers and managers from his non-profit and for-profit businesses, including several from Operation Underground Railroad, to a clandestine meeting in August, 2019, according to reports by investigative journalists Lynn Packer and Damion Moore of the American Crime Journal.
References
- “WHAT IS CONTAINED WITHIN A NUMBER? Rescue 500”.Operation Underground Railroad. Retrieved on May 11, 2016. The original version of this article was archived on May 16, 2016. Retrieved2016-05-16
- s^ The American Crime Journal published articles such as “A Famed Anti-Sex Trafficking Group Has a Problem With the Truth”.
- “Inside a Massive Anti-Trafficking Charity’s Blundering Overseas Missions”.
- “Operation Underground Railroad’s Carefully Crafted Public Image Is Falling Apart”.
- “Derailed: Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.)”.American Crime Journal
- Abcnews.com published an article entitled ” Merlan and Anna are two of the most talented people I’ve ever met (10 December 2020). In the words of the New York Times, “A well-known anti-sex trafficking organization has a problem with the truth.” Obtainable on December 24, 2020
- Grant, Melissa Gira, and Melissa Gira (2020-08-19). According to Qanon, the Anti-Trafficking Movement’s Conspiracy Playbook is being used. Journal of the New Republic, ISSN0028-6583. “Anti-human trafficking group Operation Underground Railroad under criminal investigation by Utah prosecutor”, KSTU, October 8, 2020
- Ab”Anti-human trafficking group Operation Underground Railroad under investigation”, KSTU, October 8, 2020
- Ab”BREAKING NEWS: Anti-human trafficking group Operation Underground Railroad under criminal investigation by Davis County Attorney”, American Crime Journal, October 8, 2020
- The following article was written by Richard BYRNE REILLY on April 26, 2014: “Tech startup Operation Underground Railroad is protecting youngsters from human traffickers” (News). VentureBeat. Obtainable on 2016-05-16
- Abcd “Behind the Scenes of the Fight Against Child Sexual Trafficking.” 2015-05-07. ab”The New Abolitionists,” retrieved on April 17, 2012
- Ab”The New Abolitionists.” Foreign Policy is the study of international relations. Retrieved on 2016-05-16
- Ab”The Abolitionists Movie – A Mission to End Child Trafficking” (Abolitionists Movie – A Mission to End Child Trafficking). The Abolitionists were a group of people who opposed slavery. Retrieved2016-05-16
- s^ Karissa Herald is a reporter for the Herald. Neely’s Daily Dose of Neely. “Abolitionists in Utah believe it is past time to rescue victims of sex trafficking.” The Daily Herald is a newspaper published in the United Kingdom. Retrieved2020-04-27
- s^ “Understanding Human Trafficking via the Lens of Civil Society: Awareness, Advocacy, and Action” is the title of this paper. It is written in English. “Rescuing Children From Colombia’s Sex Trafficking Trade,” which was retrieved on May 16, 2016. The 22nd of October, 2014, according to ABC News. Retrieved2016-05-16
- “Rescuing Children from Sex Slavery: One Mormon’s Inspired Mission”.LDS Living. 2015-02-27. Retrieved2016-05-16
- “Inside a Massive Anti-Trafficking Charity’s Blundering Overseas Missions”. The Guardian. 2015-02-27. Retrieved2016-05-16
- “Rescuing Children from Sex Slavery: One Mormon’s Inspired Mission”. Retrieved2021-06-05
- s^ Kevin Roose is the author of this work (2020-08-12). “QAnon adherents are interfering with the Save the Children movement.” Journal of the New York Times (ISSN 0362-4331). “Donald Trump Is Gone, But QAnon’s Sex Trafficking Conspiracies Are Here To Stay,” according to a report published on January 6, 2016. BuzzFeed News is a news website. Retrieved2021-06-05
- “WWE Referee, Wrestler-Turned-Mayor Fundraise For QAnon-Adjacent Charity” (WWE Referee, Wrestler-Turned-Mayor Fundraise For QAnon-Adjacent Charity). Retrieved2021-06-05
- s^ Lynn Packer is a writer who lives in the United States (August 28, 2020). American Crime Journal published an article titled “Tim Ballard, Utah’s Flim-Flam Man.” American Crime Journal
- “1364: Investigating Tim Ballard and Operation Underground Railroad – Lynn Packer Pt. 6”
- “Underground Railroad’s Carefully Crafted Public Image Is Falling Apart”
- “Anti-human trafficking group Operation Underground Railroad under criminal investigation by Utah prosecutor”
- “
Anti-human trafficking group Operation Underground Railroad under criminal investigation by Utah prosecutor
SALT LAKE CITY — The city of Salt Lake City is home to the Utah Jazz. A prosecutor in Utah is looking into Operation Underground Railroad, which is one of the most well-known groups dedicated to preventing human trafficking. In a brief statement to FOX 13, Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings stated that an inquiry is underway. In response, Rawlings stated that “issues have been received, and we are currently evaluating those complaints.” In addition, Rawlings’ office declined FOX 13’s request for records pertaining to the investigation.
Rawlings, in recent posts to his Instagram account, claimed that a local group was engaging in unlawful fundraising activities by claiming credit for arrests made by the Davis County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, a claim that was later refuted.
“Please be cautious of any individual, company, or group who solicits your money and may be claiming credit for work to safeguard children that is really done by our task force and/or other law-enforcement entities in Utah and throughout the world,” Rawlings said on Instagram.
Their involvement in any of the arrests and successful prosecutions that are on display in the Davis County Attorney’s Office on the “Wall of Shame” is complete and utter nonsense.” When discussing charitable solicitation in another piece, Rawlings claimed that some witnesses have been hampered by nondisclosure agreements, which are commonly referred to as “NDAs.” In its original form, that post stated: “Additional witnesses: Do not be frightened of their NDA; they will not be able to successfully sue you for collaborating truthfully with police authorities.” It’s important to remember that just because someone claims to be called by God while begging for your money does not always indicate that they are.
- Rawlings concluded his post with the hashtags “fraud scam crime” and “fraud scam crime.” Rawlings later posted a copy of Utah’s legislation regarding communication fraud and witness tampering, which he included in his original post.
- It was announced in a statement that “I spoke with the Davis County Attorney today and was informed that there is no investigation into Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.).” The statement was issued by the organization’s general counsel, Adam Becker.
- did not respond to a request for comment.
- also has offices in Anaheim, California.
- O.U.R.
- Tim Ballard, the founder of O.U.R., is a graduate of Brigham Young University and a former agent with the Central Intelligence Agency and the United States Department of Homeland Security.
- In 2014, Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes joined the Office of the United States Attorney in a sting operation in Colombia.
advisory board, according to campaign documents, Reyes has listed himself as such.
On Tuesday, Reyes was presented with a certificate from the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).
has accomplished.
According to later statements, an attorney general’s office spokesperson was not aware of any criminal investigations and would not comment even if he were aware of such investigations.
Ballards sat alongside President Donald Trump in 2019 and argued that building a wall along the Mexican border would aid in the fight against sex trafficking.
According to Ballard, who described one sting operation in 2014, “they’re selling these kids to you like they’re selling you a car or a computer.” ‘They brought five 11-year-olds to our party, including one little boy who was 11 years old, who were being offered as virgins for a premium, and you had to pay a premium for that.’ “That’s a $1,000 investment.” On October 2, O.U.R.
The amount of money raised by O.U.R.
Revenues for the charity totaled $6.9 million in 2016, according to the organization’s annual reports to the Internal Revenue Service.
The revenues of O.U.R. increased by $22.3 million in 2019. 2020 Scripps Media, Inc. copyright protection All intellectual property rights are reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the prior written permission of the author.
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QAnon Is Using the Anti-Trafficking Movement’s Conspiracy Playbook
Operating undercover as a sex trafficking “rescue” organization, Operation Underground Railroad (OUR) is a hard-charging organization with conservative origins that not only accepts donations to support its multimillion-dollar objective, but also allows contributors to participate in the action. OUR is fuelled by a hybrid fundraising and branding approach that has delivered results over the course of six years of YouTube videos with hidden cameras rolling. It is claimed in an early video that “these young victims are about to be sold for sex.” As guys armed with long rifles and body armor barge into the room, forcing everyone to the floor, we see their harrowing ordeal.
- Examples include: There are more “strike squads” with more gear and weapons, and more “ladies” are “liberated.” Neither what happens to the girls nor what crimes are committed is ever made explicit.
- Over one million users follow OUR as well as its founder and CEO Tim Ballard on Facebook, where he also posts photographs of his big Mormon family, celebrity pals Glenn Beck and Tony Robbins, as well as charitable solicitations to raise money for the organization.
- “It is past time for individual citizens and groups to step forward and assist,” according to the website.
- As a result, he traveled several hours to a restaurant in Washington, D.C., while simultaneously filming a video.
- When he was sentenced, the video would be presented in court since it was the first criminal conviction tied to Pizzagate to be handed down.
- At the very least outside of the White House, this is widely understood and scorned for what it is: a scary, occult fantasy of the highest order.
- According to The Guardian, the internet following of QAnon has overtaken that of OUR; Facebook currently has more than 3 million members and followers of QAnon groups, with reports indicating that the number is rising.
There is little comparison between these two groups: one is a recognized charity with a staff and an IRS paper trail, while the other is a constantly fluctuating collection of people who are lured to the comments of an anonymous message board member.
Tim Ballard resigned his position as an agent with the Department of Homeland Security seven years ago to start a nonprofit organization that would allow him to continue the same work without being restricted by the government, according to the account told by OUR.
It is quite modern: the abolitionists after whom he models himself did not have 501c3 organizations.
As successful as they have become in the Trump era, it is difficult to determine if OUR has earned respectability despite or as a result of its vigilantism.
They believe a violent crackdown is on its way, and they feel they will play a role in it.
Their reach is such that when the president announces a human trafficking policy that would otherwise be uninteresting, QAnon Facebook groups assist in propelling the news into three of the top 10 slots on the day’s news feed.
That has undoubtedly helped to boost their profile.
Memes against child sex trafficking were already prevalent on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.
There is a mixture of overt and more subtle references to QAnon among them right now.
This image was taken at a “very small save our children event in Colorado Springs at Acacia park,” according to the user, who shared it with me via Instagram message.
Ballard and OUR have thrown their weight behind it.
His message, which included a video, stated: “With or without Wayfair, child trafficking is real and is place!” He promised that the police will get to the bottom of the situation.
Children are being sold in this manner, there’s no doubt about it, says Ballard, “and I’m delighted people are beginning to realize this.” As soon as they heard the confirmation, QAnon followers flooded the comments section.
Supporters of both the QAnon and the OUR demonstrations had placards with a message that could be used as well at either or both gatherings, or anywhere: children are “not for sale.” The term “trafficking in persons” might be so broad as to appeal to a wide range of people while yet carrying political goals that would otherwise be overlooked.
OUR, like those other organizations, is now dealing with the consequences of its actions.
By skirting around QAnon, OUR is attempting to be more realistic about the state of affairs for their particular cause.
Last week, he told The New York Times that “some of these beliefs have helped individuals to open their eyes.” “It is now our responsibility to inundate the public with accurate information so that the truth may be conveyed.” What kind of risk would OUR be taking by allowing QAnon to come on board?
After all, dozens of Republican Congressional candidates, such as Burgess Owens of Utah, who has a legitimate shot at being elected to the House of Representatives in January, are happy to use Qanon to increase their visibility.
He was still victorious.
His campaign spokeswoman told Deseret News that after that, Owens was too busy to “Google what QAnon is” since he’s “slammed” a meeting with Tim Ballard and (Operation Underground Railroad) to discuss how the federal government might halt the trafficking of 2 million children per year.
Operation Underground Railroad
Operation Underground Railroad is located at 1950 W Corporate Way in Anaheim, California.
Stated Mission
To employ cutting-edge technology and human intellect to penetrate the most inaccessible parts of the world in order to assist local law enforcement in the liberation of enslaved children and the dismantling of criminal organizations. The information is based on the fiscal year that ended on December 31, 2019.
*Why a Question Mark Rating?
CharitiesWatch is now concerned about this organization and/or is unable to offer a comprehensive rating information owing to the group’s failure to provide financial data. To learn more about this, please refer to theAnalysts’ Notes section of this document.
GovernanceTransparency
CharityWatch assesses a charity’s governance and transparency by looking at a number of different factors. The desire of a charity to be open and honest with CharityWatch may serve as a useful litmus test for determining its commitment to public accountability, and donors may wish to take that into consideration. The Operation Underground Railroad satisfies the governance standards of the United Nations. Transparency standards are met by the Underground Railroad Operation.
| Transparency | |
|---|---|
| Provides Financial Information | |
| Audit Accessibility |
| Governance: Policies | |
|---|---|
| Reports regularlyconsistently monitoringenforcing compliance with a written Conflict of Interest Policy | |
| Reports required, annual disclosure by officers, directors, and key staff of interests that could give rise to conflicts | |
| Reports having a written Whistleblower Policy | |
| Reports having a written Document Retention and Destruction Policy |
| Governance: Financials | |
|---|---|
| Reports providing copy of tax form to all board members prior to filing it with IRS | |
| Reports that financial statements were audited by an independent accountant |
| Governance: Board of Directors | |
|---|---|
| Reports at least 5 voting board members | |
| 51% or more of voting board members reported as independent | |
| Reports documenting minutes of board and board committee meetings |
| Name | Title | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jerry Gowen | CEO | $208,589 |
| 2 | Jonathan Lines | President of Operations | $172,730 |
| 3 | Tim Ballard | Founder | $106,354 |
| 1 Name:Jerry GowenTitle:CEOCompensation:$208,589 |
| 2 Name:Jonathan LinesTitle:President of OperationsCompensation:$172,730 |
| 3 Name:Tim BallardTitle:FounderCompensation:$106,354 |
As part of their evaluations, CharityWatch Analysts conduct an in-depth examination of organizations’ audited financial statements and IRS tax filings, and they also analyze a variety of additional documents, including state filings, annual reports, and fundraising contracts. Some of the notes that CharityWatch considers may be of interest to contributors are included below.
| CharityWatch is providing a “?” rating for Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.) at this time due to our concerns related to a reported investigation into the organization, according to Fox 13 News of Salt Lake City, Utah.Inan article published by Fox 13 Salt Lake Cityin October 2020, Davis County (Utah) Attorney, Troy Rawlings, confirmed that an investigation into Operation Underground Railroad is “ongoing,” and that his office has “received complaints” and is “in the process of reviewing those complaints.” Rawlings did not specify why O.U.R. is under investigation and would not release records concerning the inquiry to Fox News, according to the article, on the basis that doing so “would interfere with that investigation.”Fox 13 News also reported in the article that Rawlings, in an Instagram post, “implieda local nonprofit was conducting illegal fundraising efforts by taking credit for arrests made by the Davis County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.” Rawlings did not name the local nonprofit in the post.An investigation by VICE World News touched on a similar concern. According to a December 2020article published in VICE: “An investigation by VICE World News focused on OUR’s operations identified a divide between the group’s actual practices and some of its claimed successes. What wefound aren’t outright falsehoods but a pattern of image-burnishing and mythology-building, a series of exaggerations that are, in aggregate, quite misleading.”CharityWatch contactedDavis County AttorneyTroy Rawlings by email and voicemail in June 2021 asking him to confirm the existence of an investigation into O.U.R. by his office, and asking if he was able to provide any further comment. As of July 15, 2021, Rawlings did not respond to our inquiries. In June 2021, CharityWatch also contacted O.U.R. via email to request copies of O.U.R.’s fiscal 2020 audited financial statements and Form 990 tax filing, and to ask for comment on the reported criminal investigation into its activities. As of July 15, 2021, we have not received a response from O.U.R. In the event one or both parties responds to our inquiries in the future, or if O.U.R. provides its updated financial documents to us, we may update our rating of Operation Underground Railroad at that time. |
| According to theOperation Underground Railroad (OUR)2019 tax filing, OUR reports receivingcontributions of non-cash items on which it placed a value of $681,455 anddonated services and use of facilities on which it placed a value of $167,138 (IRS Form 990,Schedule M andSchedule D, Part XI). |
| According to the Operation Underground Railroad (OUR) 2019 tax filing re: the existence of a family or business relationship among officers, directors, trustees, or key employees (IRS Form 990, Part VI, Section A, line 2), OUR reports:”Multiple Officers and Directors have a family relationship. Todd Reynolds (Director) is Tim Ballard’s (Founder) brother in law. Julianne Blake (Director) is Tim Ballard’s sister. Tevya Ware (CFO) is Tim Ballard’s sister in law. MarkReynolds (Secretary) is Todd Reynolds’ brother.”Also according to theOperation Underground Railroad2019 tax filing, OUR reports for Business Transactions Involving Interested Persons(IRS Form 990, Schedule L, Parts IVV):(1) A transaction in the amount of $18,415 involving Kelly Wilson / Allred Jackson, “Board Member,” and described as “Tax return preparation.”(2)A transaction in the amount of $13,340 involving Austin Ware, “Child of Officer,” and described as “Employee.” |
| According to the Operation Underground Railroad combined audit of December 31, 2019 (Note 2 re: Subsequent Events):”On January 30, 2020, theWorld Health Organization (‘WHO’) announced a global health emergency because of a newstrain of coronavirus originating in Wuhan, China (the ‘COVID-19 outbreak’)and the risks to the international community as the virus spreads globally beyond its point of origin. In March 2020, the WHO classified the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic, based on the rapid increase in exposure globally.”The full impact of the COVID-19 outbreak continues to evolve as of the date of this report. As such, it is uncertain as to the full magnitude that the pandemic will have on the Company’s financial condition, liquidity, and future results of operations. Management is actively monitoring the global situation on its financial condition, liquidity, operations, suppliers, industry, and workforce. Given the daily evolution of the COVID-19 outbreak and the global responses to curb its spread, the Company is not able to estimate the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak on its operations, financial condition, or liquidity for fiscal year 2020.” |
Related External Articles
It is our mission to bring awareness to the world about the global scourge of slavery, and in doing so, to rescue children from slavery and demolish the criminal networks that have taken them hostage. Safe havens with their relatives or rehabilitation programs are provided for the youngsters who have been rescued. We will release you from captivity and offer you with the treatment you require to recover from your experience as a victim of trafficking. To our government partners, please know that we will always collaborate with you in order to end slavery as a whole.
As part of our efforts to raise awareness and save lives through coordinating successful campaigns, events, and missions, we will operate quickly and effectively.
information about the ruling year Principal Officer for the year 2015 Tim Ballard is a writer who lives in New York City.
EIN46-3614979 NTEE code information Violent Crimes Against Children (I72)Sexual Violence Against Children (I73)Victims’ Services (P62) Requirement to file with the Internal Revenue Service This organization is required to submit an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ with the Internal Revenue Service.
Register for an account or create one in order to see Form(s) 990 for the years 2019, 2018, and 2017. Now is the time to register. CommunicationBlog
What we aim to solve
ORIGINAL SOURCE: Organizational self-reporting It is our mission to bring awareness to the world about the global scourge of slavery, and in doing so, to rescue children from slavery and demolish the criminal networks that have taken them hostage. Rescued youngsters are placed in safe havens with their family or in rehabilitation organizations that have been thoroughly verified.
Our programs
ORIGINAL SOURCE: Organizational self-reporting The current programs of the organization, how they assess performance, and who the programs are intended to help are all detailed here.
Rescue Operations
Operation Underground Railroad is a covert operation that undertakes rescue missions to free children who have been trafficked. We engage with and teach governments and law enforcement organizations step by step on the best procedures for rescuing victims of child trafficking. Our specialist task force is comprised of former CIA, Navy SEAL, and Special Ops operators. Local law enforcement agencies are empowered to fight human trafficking more vigorously in their jurisdictions when they get coaching throughout the whole process—from investigative tactics to evidence collection for criminal prosecution to performing a rescue.
We cooperate closely with the United States’ foreign embassies and the Department of Homeland Security, and we never work in a nation without the government’s clear permission.
Aftercare
Our aftercare strategy is intended to offer survivors with opportunity to heal from their trauma while also becoming more self-sufficient via education and vocational training possibilities. To be successful, we think that education is essential in encouraging access to jobs, and that empowerment projects must be carried out in partnership with local government officials, civil society groups, and companies to be effective. In order to offer survivors with every possibility for reintegration, employment, and a satisfying life free of abuse, our aftercare program places a strong emphasis on multi-layered cooperation.
Some survivors even express a desire in attending university.
Government and Law Enforcement Trainings
O.U.R. tries to give training opportunities to law enforcement officers across the world in order to strengthen their abilities to combat human trafficking in their respective jurisdictions. Cyber investigation training courses are one of the most effective training programs available. We think that enhancing the ability of governments and law enforcement to trace the internet behavior of child predators and leverage these investigations for the purpose of discovering victims and punishing offenders is one of the most effective strategies to prevent human trafficking.
). (a.k.a. child pornography). Reviews conducted by third parties
GoalsStrategy
ORIGINAL SOURCE: Organizational self-reporting Learn about the organization’s major objectives, strategy, capabilities, and progress. –
Charting impact
Four thought-provoking questions that force you to consider what actually counts – outcomes.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Trafficking victims may expect us to release them from captivity and provide them with the care they require to recover and flourish. When it comes to working with government partners, we will always be transparent with you, collaborating to increase resources and procedures in order to abolish slavery together. To contributors, we pledge to use your money wisely and to give you with practical and measurable outcomes that you can share with your constituents and stakeholders. We will work efficiently and effectively to design successful campaigns, events, and missions to raise awareness and save the lives of those who have been victimized.
What are the organization’s key strategies for making this happen?
To human traffickers: we will track you down and bring you before the law!
What are the organization’s capabilities for doing this?
To human traffickers: we will track you down and bring you before the law.
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Operations
The people, governance processes, and partnership relationships that keep the company running smoothly. With the help of GuideStar Pro, you may establish relationships with essential people who manage and lead charitable organizations. To get started, sign up for a low-commitment monthly plan.
- The people, governance processes, and partnerships that keep the company running are what make it successful. With the help of GuideStar Pro, you may establish relationships with essential individuals who manage and lead charitable organizations. To get started, sign up for a monthly plan with a modest commitment.
Do you want to learn more about how to improve your nonprofit research and gain greater insights? More information on GuideStar Pro may be found here. With the help of GuideStar Pro, you may establish relationships with essential people who manage and lead charitable organizations. To get started, sign up for a low-commitment monthly plan.
- Analyze a range of financial measures that have already been calculated
- Make use of visually appealing interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare the financials of nonprofits to those of comparable organizations.
Do you want to learn more about how to improve your nonprofit research and gain greater insights? More information on GuideStar Pro may be found here.
Operation Underground Railroad Inc
As of June 22, 2020, the board of directors ORIGINAL SOURCE: Organizational self-reporting Chairman of the board
Todd Reynolds
As of June 22, 2020, the Board of Directors ORIGINAL SOURCE: Organization’s self-reporting the chairperson of the board
I Went on a Vigilante Raid to “Save” Kids Sold for Sex. What We Did Haunts Me Now.
“When the housekeeper answers the door to a man brandishing a pistol, you can see how afraid she is.” Screenshot courtesy of YouTube/Operation Underground Railroad When the originator of Operation Underground Railroad, Tim Ballard, phoned me unexpectedly in the summer of 2014, I had no idea what he was talking about. He was a former Special Agent with the Department of Homeland Security and informed me that OUR had an undercover operation planned in the Dominican Republic and that he wanted me to accompany him to record it.
- Local administrations were either overburdened or involved in the situation.
- Ballard said that he knew how to save these children.
- Ballard and I are both members of the Mormon faith.
- My father, who admired my work, saved a few cards with the blog’s details in his wallet for future reference.
- Perhaps this is how Ballard discovered that I was a writer.
- I wasn’t perplexed as to why he believed it was acceptable for me, the author of a mother blog, to document anti-human trafficking efforts.
- I was depressed and lonely since my father, who had been my greatest friend, had passed away not long before.
I think, in my anguish and my desire for meaning, I wished for him to be called by God, hoping that it would imply that, at long last, I would be, as well.
Before I traveled for my trip with Operation Underground Railroad, I exchanged a few emails with the organization, receiving instructions on what to pack, my plane ticket, and the name of the person who would meet me at the airport.
It was the day before the sting that I packed my belongings and boarded an aircraft that took me to the Dominican Republic.
We have grown, as every successful firm must, and we are always striving to enhance our standard operating procedures and processes on a professional level.”) When I went on the “jump,” as they termed it, I was the youngest person and the only woman there.
The production firm was situated in Utah, but it was said to have attracted the attention of Hollywood elite, including Gerald Molen, the Oscar-winning producer of films such as Jurassic Park and Schindler’s List.
We stayed in a large beige house with a befuddled housekeeper from the neighborhood.
I jotted down some notes.
Ballard’s team collaborated with local authorities who were either overloaded or ill-equipped to handle this task on their own, according to what I was informed.
The location and time of the party were communicated to the authorities in advance.
When the OUR team obtained undercover recordings of a trafficker receiving upfront cash in exchange for sex with the children, the police intended to stand by outside.
They would be armed, of course.
Ballard gave me his assurance.
I’d be on the safe side.
Following the meeting, the housekeeper prepared the table for dinner.
Was she going to be safe?
I fell asleep to the sound of members of the jump team practicing CrossFit near the pool, which was a pleasant surprise.
There were a total of 26 of them.
I’d been tasked with inflating balloons in order to create a festive ambiance in the house.
When I met them outside near the pool, I gave out drinks to them.
“I’d been requested to blow up balloons in order to create a party atmosphere in the house.” Inside, Meg ConleyBallard sat with the traffickers, ostensibly discussing the price for the services that each girl would offer.
One of the traffickers came up to me and started making jokes, which I found amusing.
Ballard was putting money on the coffee table, and I was watching him.
The raid got underway.
I quickly fled.
The cameras were rolling in preparation for the much-anticipated television show.
There was a lot of yelling: from the cops, from the OUR covert team, who was pretending to be shocked, and from the drug traffickers.
I was still present when the children, dripping wet from the pool, were escorted through the room and out of the house by their parents.
During the process of being brought away, they walked between us on the ground, dripping water as they did so.
The camera team came up to me and asked for my comments, recording me while I answered.
I wanted to think that what had just occurred was significant—and I wanted to get back home.
When the plane touched down, I immediately turned on my cellphone.
After expressing interest in providing a blurb for my book, he expressed willingness to do so whenever I was ready to do so.
A man who claimed to have been summoned by God stated he was going to endorse me.
In the van with our two children strapped into car seats in the rear, my husband picked me up from the airport and I informed him about the guns and the children.
Then he told her, “You shouldn’t have been in there.” I recall thinking he was being overprotective at the time.
I was in attendance at the screening of OUR’s first documentary when it was released.
I got to my feet.
Ballard’s assertive certainty, on the other hand, quickly became a source of concern for me.
She said that OUR’s raids demonstrated a “alarming lack of knowledge about how complex criminal trafficking networks must be attacked and disrupted,” and she described the organization’s tactics as “arrogant, immoral, and unlawful.” Ballard forwarded the item to me and referred to her as a “bitch.” Then he requested me to prepare a reply to his argument.
- It was impossible for me to come up with anything meaningful to say in response to someone who had dedicated her life to this cause.
- The essay was not written by me.
- The most of them were just as inexperienced as I was.
- The appeals were heartfelt, but they were faulty.
- We spent the most of our time talking about fundraising.
- Towards the conclusion of my association with the group, I confided in someone who was concerned about the recent negative publicity that I was concerned about an organization that placed so much reliance on Ballard and his vision of the future.
- OUR prioritized Black and Latino children in its fundraising efforts, but the organization refused to change its name in response to calls from Black activists.
- Ballard, his wife, and other white people are shown as they transport rescued Black and brown children from human trafficking down an actual train, painted by McNaughton, who is most known for his painting of President Barack Obama burning the Constitution in 2012.
- I was disillusioned and upset, and I wanted to have a better grasp of the group’s position within the anti-trafficking community.
The first thing that sprang to mind when I informed an international anti-trafficking specialist about the 2014 raid I was a part of was, “Do you have any idea how completely wrong everything was?” According to what I’ve gathered from the studies, our 2014 raid was most likely just another childhood trauma for those 26 children.
- But what she grasped in a split second was something that took me years to comprehend.
- (Ballard did not answer to inquiries concerning the raid that were directed at him.) Is this an indictment on Ballard?
- However, it is also a criticism of myself.
- I attempted to find purpose in my own life by putting myself in the shoes of exploited children.
- Operation Underground Railroad is now well-known for its international sting operations, which have gained widespread attention.
- In 2015, a Silicon Valley businessman put $40,000 into a sting operation and watched it unfold in real time.
- Ballard brings the drama with him to every interview and fundraiser, for those who can’t afford to go to the situation room.
Ballard’s stories were recently investigated by Vice, which discovered “a pattern of image-burnishing and mythology-building, as well as a series of exaggerations that are, in the aggregate, quite misleading.” Vice also published details of “disturbingly amateurish” operations, such as the one I attended.
- However, a video of the raid was produced by Operation Underground Railroad.
- It’s still there, believe it or not.
- Towards the end of the video, the line “26 victims liberated, 8 traffickers arrested” appears.
- Meg Conley is a writer who lives in New York City.
- There did not appear to be any consideration given to the possibility that OUR had generated a demand.
- I was given only ambiguous responses.
I discovered the truth about what happened thanks to aForeign Policyreport: Following OUR’s first operation in the Dominican Republic in 2014, a local group known as the National Council for Children and Adolescents rapidly realized that it lacked the resources to care for the 26 girls who had been rescued by the organization.
According to the article, some people testified.
It was only a Coke and a swim that those kids received from us in 2014, yet Ballard came out ahead in the bargain.
It entails identifying children who are being trafficked and ensuring that they receive comprehensive aftercare.
It is enacting safe harbor, affirmative defense, and vacatur legislation, all of which are intended to offer victims with a safe transition or to assist them in avoiding the criminal judicial system.
It is advocating for racial equality.
Anti-trafficking effort, particularly the sort that is effective, does not provide instant gratification.
There are no cameos or leading roles.
Ballard began the organization’s 2020 online fundraising event by expressing gratitude to those who were watching from their homes.
Ballard is represented by WME, one of the world’s largest talent agencies, despite the fact that his reality series never got off the ground.
In addition, a new action film based on his life, Sound of Freedom, will be released soon.
In the clip, which was published last summer, a blond Caviezel hikes through the Colombian forest in order to save children from a criminal organization.
On the screen, Caviezel sobs righteous tears, as scared boys and girls’ faces, frequently covered in filth, are featured prominently. “Mister Timoteo,” a weeping small kid asks the screen Ballard in Spanish, and the screen Ballard responds. “You’re a kid rescuer, aren’t you?”