WOOD RIVER — The Madison County Child Advocacy Center will celebrate its 15th year with an annual luncheon, Harvest of Hope and its Rooted in Hope Campaign.

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“The Rooted in Hope Campaign will be a monthly giving program helping the Center ensure child victims of abuse are heard, supported and connected through every season,” Carrie Cohan, CAC Executive Director said. “The Center provides hope and healing to child victims of abuse and we want to ensure that continues.”

Cohan said a luncheon would be held Nov. 15 at the Lewis and Clark Community College’s LeClaire Room in Edwardsville. Retiring State Senator William R. Haine will be presented with the Harvest of Hope Legacy Award recognizing him for his work in helping create the CAC while he served as Madison County State’s Attorney and his lifetime dedication to providing hope in action to children and families in the community.

The new Rooted in Hope campaign is asking for the public’s help by making a monthly donation similar to what they would pay for a monthly subscription such as television/movie streaming or meal planning services.

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“We want the community to know that by being a monthly donor, they make an impact year round for children and their families that are going through a difficult time,” Development Specialist Claire Cooper said. “For the cost of one of your monthly subscription services, you can change the life of an abused child.”

Monthly donations will be used to help children and families that utilize the Center. Interested Donors can sign up online at www.madco-cac.org. A donor can choose the amount to donate each month and then select the frequency as monthly. The amount selected automatically comes out of the account once a month.

The CAC ensures coordination among all law enforcement and child protection agencies involved in child sexual/severe physical abuse cases in order to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of these agencies. It also helps minimize the stress created for the child and his or her family by the investigative and judicial process.

Cohan said through a confidential forensic interview, children are able to share their story one time in a safe and supportive environment. She said since its inception in 2003, the Center has interviewed more than 7,000 children.

The Child Advocacy Center model is designed to minimize potential trauma related to the investigation of allegations by utilizing specially trained professionals to conduct forensic interviews of children, digitally recording each interview to reduce the number of times a child must tell about their abuse, and providing a coordinated and comprehensive service response system.

For more information about the Rooted in Hope Campaign or Harvest of Hope please call the Center at 618-296-5398. Tickets to Harvest of Hope are $35 per person and may be purchased online at www.madco-cac.org.

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