FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 14, 2026
REPORTER AND PHOTOGRAPHER COVERAGE WELCOMED
Martin Library Hosts Community Conversation October 29
Panel to Discuss How to Protect Children and Youth from Human Trafficking
YORK, PA – Martin Library will host its next Community Conversation: “Do Your Children Matter? Human Trafficking and Its Impact on Your Community and Your Family” on Thursday, October 29. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for the program which runs from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. at Martin Library in York. The program is presented in partnership with the City of York Human Relations Commission. Registration is not required to attend.
According to Martin Library Director Mina Edmondson, human trafficking is often misunderstood as something that happens somewhere else, to someone else. The reality is that it occurs in communities across the United States, Pennsylvania, and York County. The intention for the evening is to foster informed community dialogue and provide practical tools that help families identify risks.
The evening begins with a panel discussion exploring the realities of human trafficking, its impact on children and families, and strategies for prevention and intervention. Moderated by Unstoppable You Ministries Inc. Founder Jennifer Foxworthy, the panel discussion will include a mix of local experts, advocates, and individuals with lived experience. Panelists include York County Safety Collab Director Jamie Noerpel, Sparrow Place Board Chair Amber Ballou, YWCA York Chief Services Officer Paula Copeland, Brave the Darkness, LLC Victim Advocate and Community Educator Cassie Smith, and Justice House of Hope Inc. President and CEO Justice Maddox. The panel will address how trafficking occurs, the role technology can play in targeting vulnerable youth, warning signs families should recognize, and availability of local resources. A light meal will be served following the panel discussion to provide opportunities for attendees to speak with panelists and connect with others around the topic.
“Whether you are a parent, grandparent, educator, youth-serving professional, or concerned community member, this program will provide valuable information and tools to help safeguard children and strengthen community awareness,” says York County Libraries President Robert F. Lambert. “Together, we can better understand the risks, recognize the warning signs, and help protect the children in our community.”
Martin Library, located at 159 E. Market Street in York, PA, has served the community since 1935, and is a branch of York County Libraries. It is recognized as a Gold Star library for its outstanding programs that help community members build the five core literacies championed by the Pennsylvania Library Association PA Forward® program. Literacies such as basic literacy, information literacy, civic and social literacy, health literacy, and financial literacy provide the framework for balanced programs to meet the needs of the community. This award-winning library recently received the 2026 PA Forward® Adult Literacy Programming Award for Basic Literacy in recognition of its Community Conversation: “Saving Lives through Literacy and the Humanities.” Martin Library also has the distinguished honor of being the first library in the state to receive the Library of the Year Award from the Pennsylvania Library Association.
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MEDIA CONTACTS
Deb Sullivan
Community Relations Director
York County Libraries
dsullivan@yorklibraries.org
Mina Edmondson
Director
Martin Library
medmondson@yorklibraries.org