About Freedom 8848
Freedom 8848 is a movement pursuing the end of sex trafficking in our world. Imagine a groundswell of people standing together, moving mountains for justice.
Who We Are
We are a group of volunteers, adventurers, and people of faith living primarily in the Calgary and Cochrane area of Alberta dedicated to supporting those who fight against sex trafficking.
We are a groundswell of ordinary people linking arms in action to support our partner organizations who fight against sexual exploitation by preventing trafficking, rescuing victims, and restoring survivors. Since our inception in 2020, over 1200 contributors have been involved in raising over $325,000 through our annual Everest Freedom Challenge.
Why We Exist
Sex Trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery in which individuals are made to perform commercial sex acts through the use of force, fraud, or coercion. It is one of the most lucrative and fastest growing criminal industries in the world. Though illegal, it exists all over the world, including in our own cities and suburbs. In Canada, the average age of a sex trafficking victim recruited to enter the industry is 12 to 14 years.
These facts can feel like an overwhelming mountain of injustice. However, just like Mount Everest, towering at 8,848 metres, it can be conquered one step at a time. As ordinary people we can all do our part to help move this mountain, step by step.
Our Vision
Our vision is to end sex trafficking in our world through the groundswell actions of ordinary people doing their part to raise awareness and support for anti-trafficking initiatives.
Our Mission
Our approach is to equip people to fight sex trafficking through awareness of the problem and by fundraising to tangibly support front-line organizations. Our partner organizations, International Justice Mission and HER Victory, operate in Calgary and around the world to prevent trafficking, rescue victims, and restore survivors through healing and hope. To learn more about how our partner organizations combat sex trafficking, see our Partners page. Awareness and funds are raised primarily through the Everest Freedom Challenge, an annual event held each summer in the Albertan Rocky Mountains.
4th Musketeer
The origin of Freedom 8848 can be traced back to the 4th Musketeer’s Xtreme Character Challenge (XCC). This is a 4 day wilderness adventure for men held in various locations around the world, in this case the Alberta Rockies. Here participants are challenged to live their faith to the fullest and fighting for Justice is integral to this. To learn more about the 4th Musketeer, XCC, and Arise (women’s event), click here: The 4th Musketeer Canada
How We Got Started
Like many of us who learn about the horrible reality of sex trafficking, our founders felt grieved and at a loss for how they could make a difference. They participated in a fundraising event for a local organization providing refuge for victims of exploitation, but felt they could raise more awareness and funds by doing something bigger, bolder, and more extreme. They wanted to exert effort that felt proportionate to the scale of the problem. They also felt convicted that we all can use the resources available to us to make the world more beautiful, just, and fair for everyone. Living in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains felt like a gift to be used. If sex trafficking seemed like a problem the size of a mountain, climbing mountains became the obvious solution.
Six of us launched our pilot Everest Freedom Challenge in 2020. The goal was this: to hike the height of Mount Everest in the nearby Rockies, 8,848 metres, in three days. Three peaks per day, three days in a row. Upon reaching this goal and realizing it was indeed possible, we opened up registration in 2021 for like-minded climbers to join us in raising awareness and funds for our partner organizations by doing something a little daunting and extreme. And we are just getting started. Will you join us in helping to prevent trafficking, rescue victims, and restore survivors to a bright future?
Get Involved
We are an inclusive movement and we believe everyone has an opportunity to help in the fight against sex trafficking. Here are some ways you can get involved:
- Participate in the Everest Freedom Challenge. We offer various tiers of hiking for the event so that almost anyone can complete the challenge with the proper training and preparation.
- Fundraise for our partner organizations. Fundraising is a key part of participating in the hike, but if you are not interested or able to hike, fundraising for the event is a great option.
- Financially support a climber, and let others know about their campaign by telling your contacts or sharing online.
- Get informed about sex trafficking, the scope of the issue, what organizations are doing to combat it, and how you can also fight this injustice. Take a look at the Be Informed menu above to get a start on educating yourself. Tell people you know, and educate the young and vulnerable in your community on how to look out for the signs of trafficking and how they can protect themselves and each other.
- Volunteer at the Everest Freedom Challenge. There are a number of roles that need to be filled each year by volunteers to make the Everest Freedom Challenge a success. Contact us to learn more about how you can help.
- Host a participant to share about their campaign. Do you have a platform such as a classroom, a church youth group, worship group, sports team, or other collective who you think might be interested to learn about sex trafficking and how they can fight it? Offering this space to a willing Everest Freedom Challenge participant would be a great way for them to spread awareness about what they are doing and an opportunity to raise funds.
- Join our team! We are always interested in welcoming committed people to our team to make Freedom 8848 a success. Contact us to learn more.
Our Team
Get to know us a little bit below!
Judd
Freedom 8848 Site Development Coordinator
Judd is a man who loves having fun and he is passionate about making big change. He is most happy when on adventures with friends, and doing meaningful and purposeful work. He loves being outside and in nature as much as possible. His current vocation is as General Contractor and a third generation carpenter. His heart for being involved in Justice initiatives began long ago, as he witnessed much of the injustice in the world as an inner city youth worker. The combination of having fun, while doing something purposeful that brings about Justice makes him the right person to lead the charge of Freedom 8848. He is very proud of his leadership team, the Everest Freedom Challenge volunteers, and all those who have signed up as climbers over the last few years. He is excited for what’s ahead and is hopeful that significant change is happening because of the collective efforts of those in the groundswell of people standing up for Justice inside and outside of the realms of Freedom 8848.
Rem
Trail Nerd
My job is to make sure the climbers get safely to the mountains and back again, coordinating the talented, hard-working and big-hearted volunteers who make it happen.
It was at the end of a 4th Musketeer Xtreme Character Challenge in 2016 when I was inspired to seek out ways to “invest” the blessings I’ve been given and to grow them so others could experience the love, joy and freedom that I take for granted. It took a few years to figure out what that looks like but after a few years of searching I was blessed with the opportunity to help start Freedom 8848. In 2020 I completed the challenge and this year I look forward to serving others as they climb for freedom until the mountain of injustice is moved forever.
Shawn
Director of Promotions and Innovation
As a husband, father, community, and business leader, the revelation of trafficking (and its presence in our society) shook Shawn from a blissful life of ignorance. Shawn found himself contemplating his role and ability to shape a better life and future for others. How might he protect our youth? How might he help to restore meaning and life to those abused? How might he lead other men down the path towards sexual purity? Shawn’s heart leads his mission and has been forever changed.
Jeff
Old Technology Guy
As a retired software professional, when Jeff learned about the extent and evil of the sex trafficking problem he had to step up and offer his technical skills to the fight. He now manages the Freedom 8848 website and Fundrazr site, as well as other behind-the-scenes technical and financial areas.
Braden
Creative Director
Braden is a husband, father, and craftsman with a passion for the fight against sexual exploitation.
Rachel
Writer & Content Creator
Rachel loves how language and stories can do more than convey meaning, but can confront, inspire, challenge, and equip us, and she seeks to use words to help Freedom 8848 fight injustice and sexual exploitation.
Through volunteering with Next Step Ministries, Rachel learned about the Everest Freedom Challenge and participated in the event in 2022. It was such a rewarding experience to commit to something difficult with a team of like-minded adventurers, and to see the tangible results of fundraising each time she met with the participants in the Next Step program. For some of the women who have rarely felt valued or worthy, it is a huge paradigm shift in their self-worth to see people decide to climb mountains in order to help them. Rachel believes strongly that we all have a responsibility to do what we can with what we are given, so she’s excited to continue her involvement with the Freedom 8848 team and the fight for freedom.
Chance
Secretary
Chance is a God-fearing husband and father who felt the call to action to fight against the injustice of sexual exploitation. Working as a journeyman carpenter, he likes using his skills and knowledge to work with women getting out of sex trafficking and help give them skills they can use in the world. Chance is an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys spending time in nature, hiking, backpacking and being able to share his love of nature with others.
Audrey
Prayer Coordinator
Audrey is a loving grandma, who cares deeply about her grandchildren’s future, as grandmas are accustomed to do. In the summer of 2023 four things happened, which made it clear, that she needed get involved with helping to end every form of human trafficking. First a friend who is around her age, did the Everest Challenge with Freedom 8848. It was inspiring for her. Second she met Judd from Freedom 8848 who explained it to her. Thirdly a very close family member was arrested in Toronto with a human trafficker. Fourthly she went to the movie :Sound of Freedom”. After which, she realized this is where God was directing her to serve. So she joined the leadership team to see how to help. Today she is our Prayer coordinator and is helps in other ways.
Cheyenne
Marketing and Social Media Strategist
As a former child and youth care worker turned advertising executive, my passion (aside from music and food) lies in human behaviour and the psychology behind their decisions.
Currently a digital nomad and a curator of all sorts, I was privileged to join Freedom 8848 to evaluate and develop their marketing strategy and continue executing their social media and marketing communication initiatives. After nearly two decades of working on creative campaigns for advertising agencies, my focus now is on purpose-driven initiatives.
Having worked with youth-at-risk in group homes, and inner-city communities in Edmonton, Alberta (many many years ago), I have a deep understanding of the social issues and a desire to support and bring forward meaningful change towards the fight against sexual exploitation.