SafeNight Program Highlighted at D.C. Partnership for Freedom Finalists’ Workshop

Last week, Aidmatrix was honored to be one of 12 finalists invited to attend the Partnership for Freedom workshop in Washington, D.C. This competition is designed to develop “Modern Solutions to Modern Day Slavery” and Aidmatrix’s SafeNight mobile app, in participation with Caravan Studios (a division of TechSoup Global), was selected as a finalist. 

The SafeNight program is a mobile app that empowers sheltering relief agencies to get same-day, deeply-discounted hotel rooms to cover overflow capacity so no one need be turned away. Women’s shelters, homeless shelters, trafficking shelters, and disaster shelters can all leverage this program.

This event is the Partnership for Freedom’s “first of three Innovation Challenges – Reimagine: Opportunity – a competition to improve the infrastructure of support for survivors of modern day slavery. [They] are looking for new partners and innovative ideas that lead to sustainable social services in the United States. $1.8 million in funding will be shared with winners to bring their ideas to life.”

Forbes covered the event in the following article: “Fighting The Cruelty Of Human Trafficking, Social Entrepreneurs Craft New Models For Helping Victims.” You can view this article on our blog at

http://aidmatrixfoundation.blogspot.com/2014/01/on-forbes-fighting-cruelty-of-human.html.

The following are a few quotes from the workshop about SafeNight:

“SafeNight addresses the REAL GAP [the first night of safety] in the market using technology as the tool.  It’s innovative.  It’s easy to understand and feasible. Sustainability is baked into the design.  And it’s naturally scalable.” - Ed Marcum, VP-Investments for Humanity United.

"The field is desperate for this [securing the first night of safety for a human trafficking victim]!" - Survivor of Human Trafficking. 

"SafeNight gives us TIME to put together a plan for wrap-around services & permanent housing.” - An NYC Social Worker.

The workshop provided invaluable access to leaders in the field of human trafficking response. Small groups were formed to further refine the projects with the help of experts in trafficking, housing and services, and law enforcement. Then the teams collaborated with other finalists to innovate for the cause.

Aidmatrix and Caravan Studios, will be submitting their final proposal on SafeNight to the panel as a result of this workshop.