by JOANNA HAGAN
Kelly Mallon Young’s commitment to combat human trafficking has landed her in some unexpected endeavors. On September 21st, International Peace Day, Kelly found herself at the pickleball courts at Cowans Ford Golf Club in Stanley, NC, where she completed a marathon of 26.2 hours of nonstop pickleball play to raise money for Sisters Rising Worldwide (SRW) and their fight against human trafficking. “Human trafficking occurs in every zip code, including in and around Lake Norman. Prevention, awareness and protection are key to preventing this crime from claiming more victims,” Kelly said. Kelly raised more than $33,000, surpassing her original fundraising goal, but she is far from the finish line when it comes to giving back.
When Kelly is off the pickleball court, she can be found at her home in Denver, NC on Zoom calls with some of the most powerful women she knows – religious Sisters from across the United States, Africa, Europe and Central America. After retiring from a successful career in sales, Kelly now volunteers as the full time COO for Sisters Rising Worldwide, the largest movement of women for good the world has ever known. Their mission is to unite nearly 650,000 religious Sisters across 190 countries, empowering them to bring systemic change in their communities.
Catholic Sisters live and work on the ground in the world’s most vulnerable communities. As frontline advocates, they possess unparalleled dedication and expertise to address the most pressing challenges facing our world. In addition to combating the threat of human trafficking, Sisters are working to eradicate poverty, provide healthcare services to those in need, educate marginalized women and children, and promote peace in violent neighborhoods. Kelly and her team are driven to ensure Sisters have the resources they need to tackle the root causes of these issues. Sisters Rising Worldwide offers Sisters an online platform called the PeaceRoom, where they can connect and bring their projects to life, share insights and recruit others to contribute to their work through direct donations. Kelly’s work with SRW has made an enormous impact. To date, SRW has raised more than $4 million and supported more than 90 Sister-led projects in 29 countries, impacting more than 200,000 lives.
In her TEDx talk, The Power of Nun, Kelly explains why she feels personally called to champion the work of this fierce group of social justice warriors and why they need the help of everyone who wants to combat social injustice and protect the most vulnerable. She says of the Sisters, “These women do such incredible work, but no one sees [it]. They are so humble. They aren’t waiting for recognition. They simply work hard so everyone has a chance to flourish.”
The good news is that helping these unsung heroes is easy. As the end of the year approaches, Kelly encourages individuals in Lake Norman and across the country to get involved. “By donating to Sisters Rising Worldwide, you empower Sisters with the resources they need, amplify their voices and create a world where peace, justice and compassion prevail. Ninety percent of your contribution goes directly to empowering Sister-led projects. That is a great return on investment!” Kelly remarked.
There’s more good news for Lake Norman pickleball players, too. Kelly will be back on the court on January 11th, National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, for the Paddle Up to Protect Pickleball Tournament. Grab your paddle and join her and Sisters Rising Worldwide at Pickleball Charlotte, Northlake, as they hit the courts to bring awareness to human trafficking and raise funds for trafficking survivors and prevention programs being led by Catholic Sisters around the world. Sign up to raise money and play along with Kelly, or consider sponsoring or donating and coming out to cheer on all the competitors playing pickleball for a good purpose.
To learn more about Sisters Rising Worldwide, visit srw.org.
