By Mikala McCurry Associate Journalist
“The trauma of being sexually or physically abused is more than any child deserves”. The need to minimize this trauma and provide a safe place for children sparked the creation of Child Protect Child Advocacy Center (CAC). Child Protect is a non-profit organization that assists the Department of Human Resources and Law Enforcement with child abuse allegations in Montgomery, Autauga, and Elmore counties.
Although the CAC currently has a location on South Perry Street, the need for expansion to better serve clients is indisputable. To address this issue, Development Director Laurel Teel and the Junior Executive Board of Child Protect, a group of 15 millennial entrepreneurs that advocate for CAC, came up with the idea of the #1989 Campaign. The campaign is designed to raise funds for the expansion of the Child Advocacy Center.
The #1989 Campaign is a unique and original way to persuade young business owners, and donors in general, to donate. The idea originated in the fall of 2015 and kicked off on November 29, 2016, also known as “Giving Tuesday”. The number 1989 symbolizes the year that Child Protect received the status of a non-profit organization. Any amount is graciously accepted, but the campaign is designed to add an economical twist to fundraising by asking participants to donate 1989 in some form. Contributors are asked to donate $19.89 one time, $19.89 a month for a year, or $1,989 over 3 years.
The new addition to the Child Advocacy Center includes a conjoined building that will be constructed in the adjacent vacant lot that was purchased in December of 2015 by CAC. The new building will include six offices, a larger conference room, a kitchen area, a shower area, and a playground. Everything in the new facility is essential to enhancing the process for children and improving the organization as a whole. The six offices will house members of different departments that work within CAC, such as the Montgomery Police Department and the Montgomery County Department of Human Resources. The large conference room will provide a sizable facility for staff and community training. The kitchen area will be used for a new method of connecting with clients called “kitchen counseling”. The playground will provide a safe place for children to play and relax so that they are comfortable during their sessions. Perhaps the most important part of the new building, however, will be the shower area. Child Protect Counselor Kristin Byrd says that many victims enter the facility and need something as simple as a shower to make them feel better; children are often more comfortable with telling their story when they feel fresh and safe.
Child Protect encourages everyone to get involved with this project, especially young professionals. The #1989 campaign has currently raised $420,000, but the goal is to reach at least $600,000 or more. Development Director Laurel Teel also plans to recognize each contributor by creating a “1989” sign with polaroid pictures of every donor within those four numbers; this sign will be placed on the front of the new building. The Child Protect Child Advocacy Center is expected to break ground on its new addition in April of 2017.
Join Child Protect in their expedition to “leave a handprint on the heart of a child” by donating today. For more information on the #1989 building campaign or to give a donation, visit www.childprotect.org or contact Development Director Laurel Teel at [email protected] .
All rights reserved, Gumptown Magazine. Copyright 2017.
