Release Prepared by Lieutenant Kelly Kent
Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Deputy Kenny Besk has worked for the Sheriff’s Office for 10 years. Kenny and his wife, Catherine have been married now for 12 years and 
In January 2010, the Besk’s learned about the devastating earthquake that occurred in Haiti which left many children orphaned. This began the Besk’s long journey to adopt an orphaned child from a disadvantaged country that culminated in the adoption of their Ethiopian son, who they named Matthew in 2014. During the process, they discovered that the most vulnerable of these orphans were bought and sold into forced involuntary labor and the sex trade by groups of
. They were horrified at what they discovered and felt called to take action.
Kenny and Catherine resolved that Kenny would quit his job with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office and move his entire family to Chiang Mai, Thailand. Kenny will join a child rescue team with ZOE International and utilize the skills he has learned working for the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office. Zoe works with the Thai police, US agencies, and other NGO’s to rescue children from the sex trade. Catherine is a teacher and plans to help with the children’s aftercare. ZOE’s primary task is to rescue children from being sold, and actively exploited. ZOE rehabilitates these children and gives them a home and a family, educates them, and provides a platform that allows them to grow up in a safe healthy environment.
ZOE is a nonprofit organization and all their workers like the Besks are responsible for raising their own funds. The Besks have made a two-year commitment but plan on staying longer and are asking for help to erase child trafficking. They understand that not everyone can go fight this atrocity but everyone can help them take part in the fight against child sex trafficking. They are hoping to build a core team of supporters that with help rescue and rehabilitate these children. The Besks are approximately 4 % funded and requesting monthly supporters and one-time gifts. All donations are tax-deductable.
Sheriff Jim Hart stated, “Deputy Besk and his family are true heroes. They are sacrificing a safe and comfortable life here in Santa Cruz to fight human trafficking and the child sex industry that is taking place oversees. Kenny has served the Sheriff’s Office and our community well and I wish him and his family all the best. The Sheriff’s Office family will keep the Besk family in our thoughts and prayers.”
Donate at www.gozoe.org/besks or mail donations with checks made out to “ZOE” and write “Besks” on the memo line to ZOE International PO Box 221510 Santa Clarita CA 91322
You can follow the Besks at www.beskfamily.blogspot.com