USA: Life Is Not For Sale

Meet Keisha, she is a victim of sex trafficking and this is her story. Keisha grew up in Florida until the age of 10, when she was placed into foster care. After running away from her foster family at 14 due to sexual harassment, Keisha met an older man who promised to help her find her biological family. With little else but a dream of reuniting with her family, she accepted his offer. After being physically assaulted and threatened with her life, Keisha was forced to perform sexual acts to pay him back. Keisha is just one of the 100,000 minors whose vulnerability has brought them to a dark world of violence, abuse, rape and slavery. It doesn’t make the headlines, but sex trafficking is a major issue in the U.S. This week, purchases on Sevenly.com support the Polaris Project's efforts to fight sex trafficking in the U.S.

Connect with Polaris Project and Sevenly

Herman's House

New Orleans native Herman Joshua Wallace was thrown into long-term solitary confinement after being accused of murdering a prison guard. Over 30 years later, Wallace received a letter from New York artist Jackie Sumuell that posed the question, "What kind of house does a man who has lived in a six-foot-by-nine-foot cell for over 30 years dream of?" Through correspondence and phone calls, they created an art installation that juxtaposes Wallace's cell with a full-scale model of his dream home.

Learn more at HermansHouse.Org

USA: Hurricane Sandy Relief

Hurricane Sandy has affected 60 million people, many of whom are still homeless and without FEMA assistance. This week Sevenly partners with Forward Edge International to help rebuild homes left destroyed in Sandy's wake.

Connect with Forward Edge International and Sevenly

East Coast Rising, A Surfers Tale of Hurricane Sandy

After Hurricane Sandy ravaged the Jersey Shore, it became an opportunity for local surfers to redefine the word hurricane as an opportunity to help recover and revive the community. Featuring Jon Rose, pro surfer and founder of Waves for Water, heavily involved in the relief effort and other local surfers, volunteers and community members. Director/Producer Ian Dempsey is a NJ native and put all his efforts into this film right after Sandy.

Connect with ongoing Hurricane Relief at Waves for Water

USA: Every 26 Seconds

Every 26 seconds in the United States a student drops out of high school. Merit is a clothing company who cares about changing that. Education is their cause, and 20% of all their revenues are dedicated to helping disadvantaged kids get to college. Read more about Merit through David Merrit, the founder's blog here.

Check out Merit's Indiegogo Campaign here