More than a dozen Georgia Power employees from the coastal region recently honored Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a day of service at the Pooler residential facility of Tharros Place, a nonprofit providing residential services for girls ages 12 to 17 who are survivors of human trafficking. The effort coincided with the nationally-recognized Human Trafficking Prevention Month. 

“With a generous grant from the Garden Club of Savannah, we recently purchased a sturdy new swing set to offer residents some outdoor recreational activities, but did not have the funds to install it. That’s when Georgia Power stepped in and up to the plate,” said Tharros Place Executive Director Julie Wade. “Not only did they install the swing set, but they also built a brand-new basketball goal to add to the outdoor recreation offerings and spread pine straw, mowed, weeded, and hedged the property around the center. What was previously a small, empty yard was instantly transformed into a new activity space to serve our residents. We are eternally grateful to Georgia Power for their expert and amiable service to our girls.”

The Georgia Power employees represented a cross-section of the company, including Engineering, Distribution, Transmission, Human Resources, Environmental Affairs, and Corporate Communications. 

“The Citizens of Georgia Power Savannah Chapter was honored to volunteer our time to help this incredible local organization,” said Sydney Tuttle, Georgia Power’s Volunteer Coordinator and Distribution Engineer. “Our linemen proved to be excellent swing set builders! We hope the residents enjoy the new recreation space during their road to recovery. We are grateful to Julie Wade for her leadership and hope we can continue to be a great community partner with Tharros Place.” 

Tharros Place not only considers a survivor’s immediate needs – stable housing, food, and clothing – but also their less tangible needs: safety and security, restored dignity, emotional and psychological stability, education, and financial support. They are open 24/7 and staffed by trained and licensed professionals who provide trauma-informed, customized client-centered care. Last year, Tharros Place served 13 girls, fostering healing and growth by offering trauma-informed counseling, life skills workshops, and online school.

In 2024, 804 minors in Georgia were reported as trafficking victims. With Savannah’s high poverty rate, international port, booming tourism industry, and the crossroads of Highway 95 and I-16, the county ranks 6th in the state (out of 159 counties) for the number of reported cases of minor victims of trafficking.