With April being National Child Abuse Protection month, April 23rd was a fitting day for long-time child advocate Graci McGillicuddy to realize a significant step in her goal of ending child abuse forever.
On this day, hundreds of guests gathered for the groundbreaking of the new Child Advocacy Center, located at 720 South Orange Avenue. McGillicuddy, Executive Director Hal Hedley and Dr. Katherine Keeley all gave emotional speeches about what the new Center will mean to the life of a child. When completed, the new facility will significantly increase the number of children and families the current Child Protection Center (CPC) is able to serve, consolidate partnering state and local agencies enabling these agencies to collaborate more effectively, enhance current programs, and initiate new ones.
The current Child Protection Center is the only organization in this community that is solely dedicated to protecting and positively affecting the lives of 30,000 children annually through prevention, intervention, treatment of child abuse, and education. The new state-of-the-art Child Advocacy Center will give CPC the space and operational structure they will need to provide the level of services that are critical to meet the overwhelming and increasing numbers of child abuses in the community, and help them accomplish their mission to end the cycle of child abuse.
McGillicuddy said the fundraising goal for the new building is $4.8 million. “We are raising this money in a variety of ways, including soliciting major donations and foundations grants, holding events in supporters’ homes and selling bricks with purchasers’ names that will be placed on the Center’s walkway. I would urge anyone who can help to contact Josephine Eisenberg, CPC’s development director at 365-1277, extension 103, or 941-705-2179,” McGillicudy explained. (www.childprotectioncenter.org)
Graci McGillicuddy was recently re-appointed by Governor Charlie Crist to serve as a voting member of the Child Abuse Prevention and Permanency Advisory Council. The Council serves as the research arm of the Office of Adoption and Child Protection, which resides within the Executive Office of the Governor.