Photos: Operation Giving Hope

On Aug. 25, law enforcement officers knocked on the doors of everyone staying at a Motel 6 on Madison's Far East Side. It was the third "Operation Giving Hope," an effort to assist homeless families led by the Madison Police Department and Project Respect and supported by community donations and numerous agencies. At the motel, officers contacted 66 homeless adults, some coming from a nearby motel because word spread. The adults had connections to 91 homeless children. Thirteen women associated with 20 of the children were identified as sex trafficking victims. The guests were provided with clothes, food and other immediate needs. They were connected to community resources, and their children were registered for school and Head Start.