N2, the fifth fastest-growing franchise in the nation according to Entrepreneur, recently donated $1 million to International Justice Mission (IJM). The donation is part of our giving through N2GIVES, dedicated solely to the fight against human trafficking. IJM is one of dozens of nonprofits we’ve financially supported over the years, and is the world’s largest organization of its kind.

When deciding which NGOs to support, our N2GIVES team takes note of the overall impact being made by anti-trafficking organizations and seeks nonprofits run by people with “a head for business and a heart for saving and serving others,” says Duane Hixon, CEO of The N2 Company. According to its website, IJM has rescued more than 49,000 people from slavery and other forms of oppression, and has helped local authorities arrest almost 4,000 suspected slave owners and human rights offenders.

“The staff at IJM not only have a strong desire to free people from slavery, but they also have the skills, knowledge, and connections with world leaders to affect legal changes required to bring about the end of slavery,” said Hixon.

While N2 is smaller than the Amazons and Walmarts of the world, the gift to IJM is akin to those made by much larger corporate companies. This, says Hixon, underscores the importance of commiting to a specific cause in order to make financial contributions go further. For IJM, this level of commitment from a mid-sized media company based in southeastern North Carolina is as surprising as it is powerful.

With the announcement of this donation, N2 has given more than $9 million to the fight against human trafficking, supporting not just IJM but organizations of all sizes that work to rescue and restore the lives of victims in cities across the U.S. and abroad. More nonprofit partnerships and donations are set to be announced by N2 in January 2020. Stay tuned!