Chicago Children's Advocacy Center: Battling Abuse. Restoring Lives.


October News



Expanding our skills

Representatives from our multi-disciplinary team were recently trained in responding to commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC), an increasing problem across the country. We already handle many of these cases, and we expect to see more in the coming years.

Leadership from our family advocacy and forensic interview teams, plus members of each of our partner agencies, learned more about using our unique strengths to best serve victims of CSEC, including identifying resources for children, improving investigative outcomes and prosecuting traffickers. 

We regularly host and attend trainings to hone our skills as individuals and as a team, and we're thrilled to work alongside partners who constantly encourage each other to improve, so that we can better serve victims of abuse no matter what their unique circumstances. 


President Preckwinkle visits
Char Rivette, Ald. Steele and President Preckwinkle
We were happy to host Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle, Commissioner Robert Steele and fellow organizations for a meeting to exchange ideas about Cook County's 2nd District on September 23. The commissioner and representatives from community groups discussed the challenges we face and visions for the future, while President Preckwinkle's shared her plans for improved collaboration between the county government and our community.  

ChicagoCAC Parent Cafe


On October 27, ChicagoCAC's mental health team will host our first in a series of Parent Cafés, themed "Staying Positive for You and Your Kids." Caregiving adults (including providers acting as caregivers to children) are invited to join us for refreshments, togetherness and skill-building on ways to help ourselves and our families cope during tough times. Spread the word by sharing our flyer.


Kids' Holiday Party

We need volunteers for our Kids' Holiday Party on Saturday, December 12! Our clients, their siblings and caregivers are invited to enjoy food, entertainment and donated gifts to celebrate the spirit of the season. This is our largest volunteer opportunity of the year; we need more than 100 volunteers to run this event smoothly! Grab a team of friends or coworkers to join us: 
  • 6 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 8, 9 and 10: Party preparation. Sort and wrap hundreds of donated gifts in ChicagoCAC's Education Center.
  • 7 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 13: Party setup. Set up our gift "shopping" areas, games, crafts and snacks at St. Ignatius.
  • 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13: Party staffing and cleanup. Facilitate games, crafts and other activities, and help parents shop for gifts. Spanish-speaking volunteers appreciated! 

To apply, contact Tracy at [email protected] or (312) 492-3850. Please note that all volunteers must be age 18 or older. Event-day volunteers will interact directly with clients, and therefore must pass a criminal and DCFS background check.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a time to recognize the overlap between child sexual abuse and other forms of domestic violence. At ChicagoCAC, our family advocates screen each family for domestic violence and provide immediate and ongoing support. Our therapists work closely with each family to help them heal not only from sexual abuse, but any traumas they experience. And our intensive case manager guides non-offending caregivers through the legal system to ensure victims have the protection and support they need to begin healing. 

Learn more about domestic violence from our community partners at Chicago Metropolitan Battered Women's Network and Between Friends. 


Help ChicagoCAC receive $20,000

You can make your gift to ChicagoCAC go even further. A local foundation will award us a $20,000 grant if 20 more of our supporters commit to monthly giving - and we're almost there! Whether you've never donated to ChicagoCAC before, or you were considering your year-end gift already, you can have an even larger impact by signing up for a monthly gift right now. 

Set up your gift just once, and your generous donation will automatically be deducted monthly on the day you choose. Visit our website now - it only takes a minute to help the children and families we serve!



Your support helps children and families heal from the trauma of abuse.