To Our DCAC Family,
For the past year we have implored the community to join our efforts to save the Jane Does and John Does in Dallas County who have experienced child abuse. Now, more than ever, we need your help.
Our Work Never Ceases
Each day our staff and partners leave their families to respond to another’s family crisis. During this pandemic, or any other crisis, that will not change.
- We continue to see high priority cases for forensic interviews and have not yet seen a reduction in the volume of those cases. Each day around ten new cases of suspected criminal child abuse come to DCAC.
- Our individual, evidence-based mental health services and our family advocacy services will still be offered through Telehealth solutions.
Child Abuse Will Be On the Rise
There is no doubt in my mind that more children will be at risk for abuse. Unfortunately, child abuse does not stop when there are disruptions in everyday life. In fact, abuse of children increases during times of stress due to uncertainty, financial burdens, and interruptions in childcare and school. We are concerned for:
- Children who may be home with a physically or sexually abusive parent or caregiver.
- Children who may be left alone with someone a loving parent believes is a safe person but is not.
- Children who are being abused and because school is out don’t have a safe adult to disclose their abuse to.
You can trust that DCAC is remaining mission-focused and will continue to help provide justice and restore hope for the most severely abused children in Dallas County. But we can’t do this alone, we need your help.
You Can Help in Many Ways
With the cancellation of one of our largest fundraisers and growing needs from our clients, we need you now more than ever.
- Give what you can, as soon as you can. We anticipate a $350,000 gap in revenue for just the month of March alone. Please consider making a donation of significance so that we can continue to provide our critical services. Give online at www.dcac.org/donate or contact Murphey Sears, Chief Development Officer.
- Get educated. We need more adults educated on how to recognize and report child abuse and how to keep children safe in the real and digital world. We have made those trainings available for free on our website. Use discount code SAVEJANE for our Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse training and code GETEDUCATED for Keeping Your Child Safe in the Real and Digital World.
- Mobilize as a volunteer for DCAC. We will be conducting video conference volunteer orientations so that as soon as we are operating fully our volunteer workforce is able to assist us. Learn more about volunteering at www.dcac.org/volunteer.
Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center has always been the place where healing and safety begins for abused children – and your support is a key part of our ability to continue to provide our critical services.
