I am, and have always been, a dress girl.

Maybe you know this about me? If weather allowed it, I could probably stand to wear a dress just about every day of the year. Unfortunately, in the PNW, that’s not a lovely prospect for ten months out of twelve, including the typically wet and wintry month of December.

This December, however, I’m gonna do it. You’re here to witness it, my friends. I am committing to wear a dress for each of the 31 days of December–not for fashion’s sake, and certainly not for comfort. I’m joining thousands around the world the world who are doing likewise. One small action, taken together, to help end human trafficking around the world.

Dressember

The thing is called Dressember. You know No-shave November, when folks forego the razor for the month to raise funds for cancer? It’s like that. Except our goal is to erase the $150 billion human trafficking industry from the planet and pave the way to freedom for the 40 million people enslaved in our day.

It’s easy to feel helpless against odds like that. But as Jenna’s mom says in Shadow Sister,

“Don’t let not being able to solve the problem keep you from being part of the solution. One person can’t do everything, but everyone can do one thing. What’s your one thing?”

Destiny Reflection provides dignified employment opportunities and positive social reintegration for women rescued from human trafficking. The purchase of their products supports Destiny Reflection’s aim of economically empowering survivors of human trafficking through training and employment.

This December, putting on a dress every day is my one thing.

Perhaps paying good money to see me do it is yours? $20, $50, $100—any amount helps me reach my $1000 goal.

With just a few clicks, you can do that here.

Please, do it today. And when you do, let me know by emailing me  at katherine.scott.jones@gmail.com with “Dressember Donation” in the subject line. So I can send you one of these beautiful Destiny Reflection bookmarks*  handcrafted in India by a woman freed from slavery. Yay!

Dressember and IJM

You might like to know that Dressember sprouted right here in Seattle in 2009, beginning with just one woman wanting to make a difference. You can learn more about that story by watching this 17-minute video here.

In its aim to end human trafficking, Dressember partners with International Justice Mission (IJM). I’ve written here and elsewhere about how and why I partner with IJM. IJM’s aim is to protect women and children from violence by rescuing victims, bringing the criminals to justice, restoring survivors to safety and strength, and helping local law enforcement build a safe future that lasts. So you can see why it makes sense for Dressember to  link arms with IJM in their fight against human trafficking.

What else?

In Her Memory of Music, Rees’s work as a legal investigator in India is based on real-life IJM cases. Both Her Memory of Music and Shadow Sister, though quite different in setting and story, aim to reflect God’s heart for protecting the unprotected and defending the defenseless.

Now and always, when you buy either of my books, all profits are donated to IJM. If you’re inclined to gift a book to a loved one this Christmas, I recommend you buy them here. Because not only will I gladly personalize and sign every book purchased, but profit margins are much wider (like, 10 to 1), which means so much more goes to the work we’re talking about.

Also, in case you’re interested, because bookish accoutrements are kinda our jam around here, you might want to gift yourself or someone else this IJM bookmark. I myself am hoping to find one in my stocking this year. 😉

That’s it for now, friends. If you have questions I haven’t answered, check out Dressember’s FAQ, and I’ll keep you posted as to how it all goes. Meanwhile, stay on the lookout for the dress-wearers this December. When you see one, you might just be looking at a dress-girl doing her one thing.

Thanks for reading!

🩷 Katherine

Featured image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

* bookmarks available while supplies last