CAC NEWSLETTER

2022 | March

Message from Sherry, President/CEO

Happy March! Time is flying by at the Child Advocacy Center! This month we had the opportunity to work with wonderful members within the community on events benefiting the children we serve. A big thank you to the Rotary Clubs of Gainesville for graciously selecting the Child Advocacy Center as one of the beneficiaries of the annual Wild Game Feast and thank you to all of you who were a part of the event - many hours of hard work paid off for a lively, joyous night of community connection. We want to also extend our thanks to Zoma De las Estrellas for coordinating Valentine's with Vecinos and Kappa Delta for volunteering (and for doing some great Taylor Swift karaoke)! If you were not able to attend either of these events, no worries! The Center is looking forward to our spring events including the Amazing Give and the Slacker Run (.4K)!

At the CAC, we have people working in a variety of different ways to accomplish small victories for children and families everyday. We recently added a new therapist to our team and a victim support services specialist! Each part of the team is important to the work we do, including you! We are grateful for the support that makes it possible for us to continue our mission to break the cycle of child abuse and neglect. I hope you'll take a look at our Annual Report to read more about our organizations work and impact in 2021.

Wishing you and yours lots of love,

Sherry Kitchens, President/CEO

Over 2,000 community members came together to support the Child Advocacy Center as well as UF's Mobile Outreach Clinic and the Gainesville Opportunity Center!

Wes Eubank and 2022 Feastmaster, Jay Nordqvist

Thank you Kappa Delta!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Click the images below to learn more about upcoming events!

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month! Join us in raising awareness by wearing blue on April 1st! Send us a picture or post one and tag us on Facebook and Instagram!

Continued Learning...for and by Staff!

This month, Victim Advocates Paris and Brandon spent a week at the Florida Crime Prevention Training Institute's Victim Services Practitioner Designation Training. At this training they learned about the role of the victim advocate as well as ethical and basic issues related to victimology and victim's rights.

CAC's Lead Therapist Jamie Saunders lead two trainings this month for local community organizations. Jamie provided information to staff at Alachua County's Early Learning Coalition about how early childhood trauma can affect cognitive development. Later in the month, she worked with Alachua County guidance counselors on disarming the stigma around sexual exploitation.

Small Victories - Big Impacts

Every day at the CAC our team sees small victories. Sometimes it's a conviction in court that our advocacy team witnesses. Other times it may be a change in behavior from a child who's been in therapy. Often times it's connecting a family with the right resources at the right time.

This month, a team of people worked together and shared in a small victory with a huge impact! A thoughtful donor reached out to say that they had a bed to give to a family in need. One of our advocates knew of a family who needed that bed and with the help of a board member moved it into the family's home. Ensuring that everyone has a place to sleep is one small thing that can make a house feel like a home!

Meet the Staff

Dallas Jones, Staff Therapist

Dallas may be familiar to some as a previous graduate clinical intern and in February she joined the staff as a therapist. She looks forward to creating a compassionate environment for children and families as they heal from trauma.

Lynn Hutto, Victim Services Support Specialist

Last week a new face joined the CAC! At the front desk, you can find Lynn greeting clients, answering phone calls, and assisting our Victim Services team in providing support to families.

Click here to check out our 2021 Annual Report!

How to Help

Interested in being a part of our mission to #breakthecycle? There are several ways you can contribute!

Child Life Volunteers help out at the center and spend time with children in the waiting area before or after therapy sessions. This weekly commitment is a great way to see the impact CAC services has on children and families.
Special Events Volunteers help with CAC events through out the year. You can help in advance or day of!

Visit our Website to Sign Up Today

Donations of individually wrapped snacks, juice boxes, and school supplies are always appreciated!
Your financial support helps us continue to provide services to children who have experienced abuse or neglect!

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