By Nickie Miller, Prevention Specialist   

Introducing our new

Victim/Family Advocate

By Roberta Humphries - Executive Director

Sharon Koonce has joined the Child Advocacy Center as the Victim/Family Advocate. Previously, she has worked as Social Work Supervisor and as a Social Worker with Cumberland County Schools, the Cumberland County Department of Social Services and the Caswell Center in Kinston, NC. Sharon earned her Bachelor of Social Work degree from East Carolina University. Sharon works closely with the children and the non-offending caregivers that are referred to the CAC. Sharon has also been cross-trained as a Forensic Interviewer.

Comment from Sharon: I just want to make a statement about what this agency does daily for children. I have seen the faces when I open the back door of frightened children and families. I watch as they enter the halls and see the child friendly paintings, and their facial expressions change. The waiting rooms are so inviting and the children immediately find something in that room that engages them. This month it was the drawing board I want to talk about. In two cases the drawings were significant. They showed so much pain and the words that accompanied the pictures were very revealing. It is often said a picture is worth a thousand words and this month that saying took on reality in the lives of abused children for me. I think the CAC was able to help these children and families hopefully begin their journey to healing.

The Child Advocacy Center will participate in both the SECC and the CFC.  Our SECC number is 1807 and our CFC number is 37137.  We are very grateful for your designations.

CAC Organization Endowment Fund

The Board of Directors of the Child Advocacy Center has created an Organization Endowment at the Cumberland Community Foundation.  Show your lasting support of the Child Advocacy Center by contributing to the Child Advocacy Center Endowment.

Donations to the Endowment Fund may be sent directly to the Cumberland Community Foundation for the Child Advocacy Center Endowment.

Speakers' Bureau

As you plan your year of speakers for civic, faith and community organizations, don't forget the CAC has a group of volunteers who are eager to speak on the problem of child abuse and what individuals can do to prevent and stop it. Please call the center at 486-9700 to schedule a speaker.

Help Us Go Green!

Would you like to receive information including newsletters from us by email? If so, email your email address to cacmarketing@childadvocacycenter.com

Check out the Child Advocacy Center

on Facebook, Like us, and forward our page to your facebook friends. 

Turn your Grocery Shopping into a Fundraiser for the CAC

Register your Food Lion MVP card to support the Child Advocacy Center and get a chance to win free groceries every time you shop!  Food Lion's program, MVP Community Rewards, is a free, easy way for you to provide the CAC with much-needed donations. 

To learn more and sign up, visit www.foodlionmvprewards.com, click on "Shoppers Register Here," and enter your 12-digit MVP card number and our Organization Code 252043.  All supporters must register, even if you have previously registered for other programs.

THANK YOU!! 

The CAC is very grateful to Our Corporate Benefactors who have agreed to be year-long sponsors for CAC events for the 2011-2012 Fiscal Year.

 The Child Advocacy Center was the recent recipient of a special grant from the BB&T Lighthouse Foundation Beacon of Hope Project to help with production of a DVD for our agency, to purchase equipment for our forensic interview rooms and to make "comfort" blankets for the children that come to the Center for forensic interviews. Eighteen BB&T employees came to the Center over 3 afternoons and made 22 blankets for the children.

Featured above are some of the BB&T employees with their finished blankets. L-R Emery Ramsey, Robin French, Sandra Godwin, Aundrey Myers and Reid Horne