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La Marque proclaims January human-trafficking-prevention month, council approves MOU with Unbound Now
Summary
Council issued a proclamation designating January 2025 as Human Trafficking Prevention Month, heard victims’ testimony, and approved a memorandum of understanding with Unbound Now to coordinate local anti‑trafficking services.
The La Marque City Council on Tuesday proclaimed January 2025 as Human Trafficking Prevention Month and urged residents to participate in awareness activities. During the presentation the council heard from local advocates and family members of victims who recounted personal losses and promoted community prevention work.
The council then approved a memorandum of understanding with Unbound Now, a regional coordinator for anti‑trafficking services that partners with law enforcement and health providers to connect victims with care. John Lee of Unbound Now described the group’s role in Galveston County: when a youth is identified as a trafficking victim, “law enforcement will reach out to us, and we will coordinate the effort to make sure that they’re not slipping through the cracks,” he said.
Why it matters: The proclamation and MOU signal the city’s intent to support anti‑trafficking responses and to strengthen coordination among police, prosecutors, health providers and nonprofits. Mayor Heath Bell and several council members offered financial and logistical support during the meeting; Council Member James Ross said he would make an $800 discretionary contribution to the local nonprofit Maddie’s Movement and the mayor said he would match it.
What the MOU does: The approved MOU with Unbound Now establishes coordination between city agencies and the nonprofit to refer suspected victims for case management and services. The MOU does not create a city-funded service line; it formalizes referral and coordination steps between the city’s public-safety staff and Unbound Now.
Public testimony: A family member who identified herself as the founder of “Maddie’s Movement” described her daughter’s death as related to trafficking and urged community action, awareness and support for programs that protect vulnerable youth. Council members praised the speakers and directed staff to finalize the proclamation for distribution.
The council also approved a separate MOU with 4B Disaster Response Network to support post‑disaster recovery and sheltering operations; that item is intended to improve resilience and emergency-service coordination but is not specifically tied to trafficking work.
