RALEIGH, N.C. — Sports have the power to inspire change and do good in the lives of the people who play and take part in them. It’s why Carolina Hurricanes star defenseman Jaccob Slavin is using his platform to help the 50 million people who are held in some form of modern slavery through human trafficking.

Operation Fight For Freedom is the Slavin family’s mission to raise $1 million as they look to battle human trafficking in the Philippines. Their goal is to raise money that can help local law enforcement in the South Pacific country put an end to the terrible crime.

The International Justice Mission estimated that nearly 50 million people are affected by human trafficking, whether it’s through labor and slavery, or sex trafficking. 

“I mean, not just the online sexual exploitation of children in the Philippines, which is what the campaign’s going towards, but really just all sorts of human trafficking, work trafficking, to sex trafficking, there’s just so many different types,” Jaccob Slavin said. 

Human trafficking generates $150 billion a year, with 1.7 million children exploited yearly in sex trafficking. Two-thirds of the money generated by human trafficking is estimated to come from commercial sexual exploitation.

To help end the problem, the Slavins are raising money through the end of the regular season and will personally match donations of up to $500,000.

For every point Jaccob Slavin tallies on the ice this season, people can pledge to donate money in the form of his jersey number, 74. Whether it’s $.74, $7.40, or $74, he said every donation helps, and it’s adding a little extra motivation to his game. 

“If people can match money or donate money for when I do get a point or a goal, or an assist, whatever it is, it will be awesome to have that money come in, but I think one of the things we’ve talked about before this campaign even launched was just raising awareness,” Jaccob Slavin said. “Letting people know that this is a very prevalent issue that is going on in our world, in our country, in our state.”

To donate to the Slavins’ cause, you can go here.

At the end of the National Hockey League’s regular season, the Slavins will host a campaign-conclusion event, where community members around the Triangle can have one last chance to donate to the cause.

The campaign closer is just part of many things the Slavins are trying to put on in order to maximize their efforts. 

“We’ve always tried to be generous with our giving. We realized that his platform for hockey will only last so long,” Kylie Slavin said.

While the Slavins are no stranger to doing good works in the Raleigh community, Kylie Slavin said this mission especially spoke to her and her husband in recent months, as they’ve continued to devote time to their faith.

“There’s another verse that we kind of live by with this, with this campaign, and it says, ‘Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver,’” Kylie Slavin said.

Jaccob Slavin ranks second in Hurricanes team history with most points by a defender. He also is in the top three in Hurricanes franchise history for most games played by a defenseman. This season, Slavin has tallied three goals and eight assists.