Athol woman cooks up anti-trafficking recipe
Kathy Jenkins explains how the Stamp Out tool both cuts and crimps dough for filled baked goods. Jenkins donates all money raised from the sales of Stamp Out to help fight human trafficking in Spokan
JENNIFER PASSARO/Press
From her home in Athol, Kathy Jenkins aims to stamp out human trafficking from Malawi to Spokane.
Her contribution to the overwhelming and massive effort? Delicious baked goods. And a full heart.
About six years ago, on a whim, Jenkins used a ring from a canning lid to crimp together hand pies. It was there — pressing rich, sugary filling between layers of flakey dough — that the idea for Stamp Out was born. A cookie cutter on one side, Stamp Out has ridges on the other side for crimping dough layers together. It makes a buttoned edge on treats like empanadas, raviolis, and filled cookies.
“Her product is different because in one purchase you get three different shapes: a heart, two circles, and a rectangle,” said Diane Johnson, store manager at the Kitchen Engine in Spokane. “It’s unique in that you get lots of options when you purchase her product.”
The tool pack sells for $20. All proceeds go directly to three organizations working to help victims of human trafficking. “When the Saints” provides long-term housing and rehabilitation for youth victims of sex trafficking in Malawi. Madalyn Forthman works as a missionary through Commission to Every Nation in Indonesia to help female victims of sex trafficking.
Johnson was thrilled to learn that proceeds from the sale of Stamp Out also go directly to HRC Ministries’ Stop Slavery Spokane project.
“The biggest thing [HRC Ministries] brings to the community is the awareness that this is happening in Spokane,” Johnson said. “When we think of terrible things like human trafficking, we tend to think it happens somewhere far away, but it’s here in our country, here in our backyard. I love that they are speaking out and doing something about it.”
HRC Ministries has helped 25 vicitims of human trafficking since the inception of its safe house several years ago.
“It’s like God put it on my heart,” Jenkins said. “I thought, if you could design that and sell it, you could give all the profits to help human trafficking victims.”
Careywood Coffee in Athol and Culinary Stone in Coeur d’Alene also stock the product.
Jenkins enthusiastically works to bring awareness to global human trafficking by visiting churches and craft fairs throughout the state with her product. She often presents to women’s ministry groups with a power point presentation, a hands-on baking activity with Stamp Out, and viewing a portion of the documentary “Nefarious.”
“Trafficking is a very hard, difficult thing to look at,” Jenkins said.
That’s why Jenkins balances her products by bringing women together to create baked goods and share recipes.
“It was not because I had a personal experience,” Jenkins said. “I have so much, even though I’m not a rich person. I have lived in security, peace, and safety. I don't have a need to sell this for profit. So much has been taken away from victims.”
Since April, Jenkins has sold more than 300 crimpers. The product is made at Lightning Tool & Manufacturing in Post Falls.
Jenkins has lived in North Idaho for 40 years. She homeschooled her five children here and attends Mountain View Bible Church in Post Falls. She hosted a program at her church last year.
“It was an amazing event,” said Erin Kemper, women’s ministry leader at Mountain View Bible Church. “It was super impactful. Even as someone who is aware of human trafficking, it really stirred my heart and opened my eyes a lot wider to the tragedy around me and worldwide. It was time as a group to grow together in our burden of human trafficking. It was a way to build unity as a community to work to stamp out human trafficking.”