Fall Philanthropy Report: Children’s Assessment Center Touts ‘Healing’ for Child Abuse Victims
Oct. 8, 2024
What is your mission? The Children’s Assessment Center (The CAC) provides healing services to over 6,300 child sexual abuse victims and their families each year. We offer forensic interviewing, family advocacy, mental health services, medical care, and court services at no cost. We facilitate community outreach and prevention training to raise awareness about child abuse in our community and how to keep children safe. Last year, we provided prevention training to over 35,000 community members, including 23,500 children in schools.
Why did you launch the organization? The CAC is the only child advocacy center in Harris County and one of the largest nationwide. Sadly, before the implementation of advocacy centers, there was not a streamlined process for children. Victims of sexual abuse were often interviewed multiple times by various law enforcement, medical professionals, and mental health clinicians. Here at The CAC, we know that having to recount abuse several times can be retraumatizing, and we sought to find a solution to make a trauma-informed process.
The goal of The CAC is to provide all the services, partners, and resources families need in one place. We collaborate with hundreds of professionals from 60 Partner Agencies (e.g., law enforcement, medical and mental health professionals, nonprofits, and governmental investigative entities) to coordinate investigations, provide services, and protect children. Our hope is that our process will give children the tools necessary to empower them on their healing journey.
How have you impacted the community? Our work is guided by the belief that all children in our community deserve to grow up safe, happy, and healthy. We work to empower children’s healing journeys, restore hope in families, and provide support to avoid long-term trauma. The CAC exists to help our community become a better, safer place for each child of Harris County.
Tell us about your big event. We will host our annual Spirit of Spring Gala to celebrate The Children’s Assessment Center Foundation’s 30th anniversary. We are thrilled to invite community members who have helped us make a lasting impact on child sexual abuse survivors, their families, and our community. We look forward to commemorating the 30th year on April 11, 2025, at The Houstonian Hotel.
How can I help? As adults, it is our responsibility to keep children safe. Your generosity can help empower families on their healing journey and protect vulnerable children. Please consider how you can be part of the solution to end child sexual abuse. Go to our website, cachouston.org, to learn how to donate, volunteer, and protect children in our community.
We exist to protect children, heal families, and prevent child sexual abuse and child sex trafficking in our community.
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Pete Bell and Cotton Throw Lavish Tailgating Bash at Kyle Field Longhorns and Aggies Can Cheer!
Dec. 6, 2024
PETE BELL'S COTTON Holdings company, known for never doing anything halfway when it comes to parties, celebrated the return of the of the A&M-UT football game after a 13-year hiatus with the most lavish tailgating more gridiron fans have ever seen.
“Not only was the Cotton Tailgate the largest tailgating space at 3,700 square feet, but it featured eight chandeliers, six large screen TVs, dedicated lounge spaces specially decorated for UT and A&M fans, and a massive charcuterie stadium made out of solid cheese which served as a replica of Kyle Field,” explained a rep for Cotton. “Cotton Culinary Executive Chef Wade Schindler also prepared a game-worthy lineup including dino ribs, Texas caviar, RC Ranch Wagyu hot dogs, steak au poivre potatoes, brisket sliders and much more.”
Bell himself was a genuine celeb at the game. He participated in the coin flip to start the game with Gov. Greg Abbott, and he sponsored the Cotton Holdings Lone Star Showdown trophy — this year taken home by the UT Longhorns.
VIPs in the crowd included famed former A&M coach R.C. Slocum, NFL great Quan Cosby, ESPN host Pat McAfee, Duke Austin, Randy McIlvoy, Whitney and Marc Lawson, Donae Chramosta, Shelley Ludwick, Hunter Bell, Bailey and Hayden Layne and Cotton execs Bryan Michalsky and Zinat Ahmed.
Cotton Holdings. is a leading disaster and infrastructure support services company headquartered in Houston, the company says.
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March of Dimes' Signature Chefs Tempts Foodies and Raises Funds for 'Moms and Babies'
Daniel Ortiz
Dec. 5, 2024
FOODIES WITH BIG hearts were in heaven at the annual Signature Chefs restaurants expo and fundraising dinner benefitting the March of Dimes. Held at The Revaire and chaired by Kristen J. Cannon and Mignon Gill, the event took in some $425,000 in support of healthier mothers and children.
Participating restaurants and hospitality outfits, working from booths ringing the room and doling out tasty treats to guests, included A Fare Extraordinaire, Clarkwood, Cut Above Spirits, Eunice, Field & Tides, Guard and Grace, Hando, Le Jardinier, Leo’s River Oaks, MaKiin Concepts Hospitality, Marmo, Money Cat, Navy Blue, Queen Bee Distilling and Relish Restaurant & Bar.
Besides great food, there were moving moments. Pete and Vivian Vandenbout, this year’s March of Dines ambassador family, shared a heartfelt story of preterm birth and infant loss.
“Signature Chefs brings together top culinary talent and the community to shine a light on the state of maternal and infant health in Houston and around the US,” said March of Dimes Senior Executive Director Jen Torres. “Locally, we continue to face significant threats to the health of moms and babies, with 1 in 8 babies being born premature and significant disparities among racial and ethnic groups.”
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