Give the Gift of Hope this Season: The Children’s Advocacy Center of Walton County Needs You!
Since opening their doors in Niceville on October 27, 2000, the nonprofit organization, known as the Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC), has seen over 10,000 child victims of abuse from Walton and Okaloosa counties. Along with agency partners, they have provided thousands of services including crisis counseling, therapy, community referrals, evaluations, forensic interviews, and medical exams.
As of April of this year, Walton County now has their own CAC located on College Ave in Defuniak Springs. This was made possible by the generosity of community members such as Terry Jones of Compass Builders who constructed the center in kind, his wife, Cathy, who provided the interior design work and architect, Allen McGinnis, who donated his work in kind as well. The center is named after donors Tammy and Jim Pierce, residents of Santa Rosa Beach. Walton county donated by the land at a fee of $1/year for 100 years. The facility also contains a crimes against children unit, a sheriff’s outpost, and a medical examiner’s office.
The hope is to one day be able to hang a “closed for business” sign in the Niceville and Defuniak centers because that would mean our children are living free from abuse and neglect. Today we can move in that direction by empowering children with prevention through awareness programs and continuing to identify and rescue those still living in abuse. We can do this!
Volunteer Opportunities: The greatest needs the CAC has are:
- Front desk/reception area (both centers)
- Events
- Yardwork
- providing lunch/breakfast for team.
Donate
- The Walton County Children’s Advocacy Center still needs to raise approximately $350,000 to reach their goal. Sponsor a therapy room with your tax deductable contribution of $5,000-$50,000.
- Participate in the “Adopt a Family Christmas program” which brings a Christmas to a family served by the center.
- Donate new toys, books, stuffed animals, barbies, sports balls etc for the children’s Christmas party at the CAC. There is an ongoing need for donations of diapers, wipes, cookie dough, art supplies, new underwear (all sizes), and pack-n-plays.
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