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Wear Blue Friday, April 5, 2019 - Members of both the Child Advocacy Center and the Friends of the Child Advocacy Center join together to remember those who lost the fight to child abuse during a ceremony held at the Healing Garden at Bonita Maas Park.  

MISSION AND HISTORY​​

Recognizing families need a place to turn, the Child Advocacy Center (CAC) opened its doors in Frederick County in April 2001. The mission: to establish a child-friendly facility for the children and the families of abuse. A number of organizations and agencies from our community came together and agreed to design, staff and equip a central place to provide comprehensive and coordinated services for those children and families. Today, the CAC provides a secure, physically and emotionally safe location where children and their families can come to access service when maltreatment is suspected.

As a government agency, the CAC could only do so much with its budgeted funds. So, in 2004, a group of women active in the Frederick Woman’s Civic Club formed a new group to support the vital work through contributions of their volunteer time and fundraising.

By 2006, the new group was officially the Friends of the Child Advocacy Center, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Since then, we have successfully worked to enhance support of families and to meet special needs beyond the scope of the CAC.

Then and today, the Friends of the CAC work to:

Promote community awareness and education about the needs of children who become victims of abuse.

Focus on legislative issues relative to domestic violence against children.

Provide support for CAC staff, child victims of maltreatment and their non-offending family members.

Seek funding to support the recovery of victims of child abuse.

Coordinate a mentor program for clients of the CAC when needed.

ABOUT US

The Friends of the Child Advocacy Center of Frederick County is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization officially established in 2006.

The organization grew out of a realization that more was needed to be done to prevent child abuse right here in our community. So a group of concerned women banded together to take action. Building on this mission, Friends has worked to promote zero tolerance for child abuse and neglect and to support the work of the Child Advocacy Center of Frederick County (CAC).

CAC serves over 400 children a year who have experienced child abuse, sexual assault, or child neglect. Often the children and their non-offending family members need services and support beyond the scope the CAC can provide as a government agency.

Friends of the CAC works hard to:

 

Provide abused and neglected children with comfort:

  • Heiress, a trained therapy dog
  • Therapeutic horseback riding lessons and dance classes
  • Art camps
  • Trauma-informed yoga
  • Karate and self-defense classes
  • Holiday gifts and gift cards for emergency needs
Promote awareness and prevention:
  • Child Abuse Prevention Month every April
  • Wear Blue Friday
  • Blue Worship Weekend
  • Children’s Day in the Park
  • Web site and Facebook presence
  • Community outreach activities
  • Activities in the Healing Garden, created by the Friends
Remember the children in the Healing Garden:
  • A place of peace and reflection in Downtown Frederick
  • Bricks bear the names of the precious children who have died
  • Whispering Bench allows children to play and be heard
  • Peaceful oasis of comfort for those who work to protect Frederick’s children
Lend a personal touch:
  • Painting and decorating the CAC offices, therapy rooms, and play areas
  • Making comfort blankets
  • Providing meals and snacks
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