Local schools do their part to help end modern-day slavery

Spare some change?

Spare some change?

Three schools in the Issaquah school district are asking just that question as they raise money to free modern day slaves.

Pine Lake Middle School, Pacific Cascade Freshman Campus and Issaquah High are all taking part in the “Loose Change to Loosen Chains,” which raises money for legal and police resources for modern-day slaves.

Modern-day slaves are often indentured servants who have been lured into slavery under false pretenses.

The money will be sent to the International Justice Mission.

Last year, Pine Lake Middle School participated in the fundraiser and brought in $16,000 in just four days. The money was enough to free more than 45 slaves.

“It just caught on like wildfire,” District spokeswoman Sara Niegowski said. “I have never seen a fundraiser catch on like that.”

The fundraiser expanded this year along the school’s feeder pattern. Since the fundraiser is organized by just a small group, adding just two schools to the fundraiser was a good jumping off point, Niegowski said.

Along with the additional schools this year, a rock concert, featuring Barcelona, a orchestral pop rock quartet, will be held at 7 p.m. today at Issaquah High. Student bands from Issaquah High and Pine Lake Middle schools will open the concert.

So far, $10,000 has been raised from ticket sales for the concert alone. Tickets have all ready sold out. Niegowski estimated that the fundraiser could bring in $20,000-30,000 or more.