Children’s Trust Partners with Kingdom Community Health Services for CommUNITY Celebration

Children’s Trust is thrilled to announce its upcoming CommUNITY Celebration, a fun-filled day of activities and fellowship for children and families alike. Taking place on Saturday, April 29 from 11 AM to 3 PM, at Mt Zion AME Church, 2128 Melrose Ave NW, Roanoke, VA 24017.

From games and giveaways to a number of special guests, there’s something for everyone at this event. Children can participate in a variety of activities: face painting, bouncy houses, arts and crafts, and more! Members of the Virginia Tech football team will join us, as well as Pip from PBS, Mugsy from the Salem Red Sox, and Monica Brooks from K92. Free hot dogs will be served by the Roanoke County Sheriff’s Department, in addition to other fun snacks.

But the CommUNITY Celebration isn’t just about fun and games – it’s also an opportunity for families to learn about the programs Children’s Trust offers. Representatives from the Children’s Trust will be on hand to answer questions, provide information about their programs, and offer resources and support to families in need.

The Children’s Trust CommUNITY Celebration is free and open to the public. All are welcome to attend, and families are encouraged to bring their children and friends. Join us for a day of fun and community building!

As child abuse and neglect never stop for weather, we will gather together whether rain or shine.

EVENT INFORMATION:
Saturday, April 29 from 11 AM – 3 PM
Mt Zion AME Church
2128 Melrose Ave NW
Roanoke, VA 24017

CONTACT:
Meghan Grey, Children’s Trust
(540) 344-3579 x28
meghan.grey@roact.org

Children’s Trust of Roanoke Valley consists of five programs: Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC), Children First, Healthy Families, and the Trauma Informed Community Network. Children’s Trust programs craft a continuum of care for children dealing with child abuse and neglect through prevention services, public education outreach, impactful advocacy, and a providing a child-focused environment to support children through investigations of child abuse and neglect. More information can be found at www.roact.org.

Children’s Trust Plants Annual Pinwheel Garden for Child Abuse Prevention Awareness

March 23, 2023 — The pinwheel has come to serve as the symbol of the amazing childhoods we want for all children: whimsical, happy, and healthy. Each year, to kick off April’s Child Abuse Prevention month, Children’s Trust plants a pinwheel garden at Virginia Western’s Community Arboretum to raise awareness for the many local children facing abuse and neglect. By planting pinwheels in public spaces, we can bring attention to this important issue and inspire action to protect our children.

Children’s Trust volunteers and staff will plant its annual garden of over 3000 pinwheels on Friday, March 31, 2023 at 9 AM at the Community Arboretum located at Virginia Western Community College, 3094 Colonial Ave SW, Roanoke, VA, 24015. The public is welcome to join us in planting and we need the community’s help to make this campaign a success! We expect the planting to take approximately two hours. The pinwheels will remain on display the whole month of April.

As child abuse and neglect never stop for weather, we intend to complete this project rain or shine.

Event Information:
Friday, March 31 at 9:00 AM
Virginia Western Community Arboretum
Webber Hall – 3094 Colonial Ave SW
Roanoke, VA 24015

Children’s Trust of Roanoke Valley consists of five programs: Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC), Children First, Healthy Families, and the Trauma Informed Community Network. Children’s Trust programs craft a continuum of care for children dealing with child abuse and neglect through prevention services, public education outreach, impactful advocacy, and a providing a child-focused environment to support children through investigations of child abuse and neglect. More information can be found at www.roact.org.

Children’s Trust Receives Twin County Community Foundation Grant

Children’s Trust Receives $7500 Grant From Twin County Community Foundation

September 26, 2022 – Children’s Trust is proud to announce grant funding from Twin County Community Foundation to continue our work in that region of Virginia.

The Twin County Community Foundation awards grants to eligible 501(c)3 organizations and local government entities to promote the health, education, and welfare of the citizens of Carroll County, Grayson County, and the City of Galax. Children’s Trust is proud to service that region of Virginia through our Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC).

Children’s Advocacy Centers are child-friendly facilities designed to reduce the trauma children endure during the investigation and prosecution of abuse. The CAC operates regional centers in Roanoke, Bedford, New River Valley and Twin Counties.

The CAC works with multi-disciplinary teams that includes medical professionals, law enforcement, mental health, the Commonwealth Attorney’s office, child protective services, victim advocacy, and other professionals who make decisions together about how to help the child based on the interview.

_____________

Children’s Trust consists of five programs: CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), Children’s Advocacy Center, Children First Child Abuse Prevention, Healthy Families, and the Trauma Informed Community Network. These programs combine to provide public education outreach, effective advocacy, and a strong network of support for children and families and is dedicated to coordinating services that will improve the community by promoting awareness about child abuse, providing family support through education, providing a child-friendly environment for the investigation of abuse, and advocating for the best interests of abused and neglected children.

FY2022 Giving Circle Announced

Our pursuit of serving the most children and families by providing public education outreach, effective advocacy, and a strong network of support is made possible by the contributions of many. We’re excited to announce our FY2022 Giving Circle members and give tremendous thanks to our generous supporters who made donations and annual gifts between July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022.

To see the full list, visit: https://www.roact.org/givingcircle

Let’s get your name or business listed on next year’s Giving Circle list! Email joey.beck@roact.org or visit our secure donation site at: https://connect.clickandpledge.com/…/e45437fa-1dd6-4c14…

Annie E. Casey 2022 Kids Count Data Released

The 33rd edition of the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s KIDS COUNT^® Data Book describes how children in America are in the midst of a mental health crisis, struggling with anxiety and depression at unprecedented levels.

This year’s publication continues to present national and state data across four domains — economic well-being, education, health and family and community — and ranks states in overall child well-being. The report includes pre-pandemic figures as well as more recent statistics, and shares the latest information of its kind available.

For the full report, visit HERE.

For Virginia stats for 2022, visit HERE.

Sammi Rader Appointed to National CASA Suburban Leadership Council

6/28/2022 – CASA of Children’s Trust announces the appointment of Sammi Rader, CASA Program Director to the Suburban Leadership Council of the National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem (CASA/GAL) Association for Children.

Serving a two-year term, Rader, along with child welfare leaders from across the nation, will play an integral role in voicing the unique needs of 950 local programs that make up the CASA and Guardian ad Litem (GAL) network. In 2021, the CASA/GAL network, with its 93,225 volunteers, served more than 242,236 children who have experienced abuse and neglect. With more than 407,000 children entering foster care on any given day, the leadership council will focus its efforts on ensuring that the network achieves its mission of serving all children through best-interest advocacy.

“The National CASA/GAL Leadership Councils are a vital part of our efforts to serve more children in the foster care system, while continually improving their outcomes,” said National CASA/GAL Chief Executive Officer, Tara Lisa Perry. “We are so excited and grateful to have Sammi providing her insight and expertise as we strive to move our mission forward on behalf of all children who have experienced abuse or neglect.”

“I am honored to be appointed to this important national role,” said Rader, Program Director of CASA of Children’s Trust. “As a member of the Roanoke Valley, I’m looking forward to bringing our successes and challenges to a network that help us get better as we improve our work across the nation.”

###

About the National Court Appointed Special Advocate®

The National Court Appointed Special Advocate, together with its 950 state and local member programs, supports and promotes court-appointed volunteer advocacy so that every child who has experienced abuse or neglect in the United States can be safe, have a permanent home and have the opportunity to thrive. National CASA/GAL offers leadership and support to the network of programs and leads its continued growth. CASA/GAL volunteers and staff work every day to advocate for children, youth and families. To learn more, visit nationalcasagal.org.

CASA of Children’s Trust is a program of Children’s Trust Roanoke Valley. Since 1979, Children’s Trust has served the children and families of Virginia through our five child abuse prevention, education and advocacy programs: CASA: Court Appointed Special Advocates, Healthy Families Roanoke Valley, Children’s Advocacy Centers, Roanoke Trauma Informed Community Network and Children First. Visit www.roact.org for more information.

CAC Bedford Receives $10,000 Grant

Children’s Trust and Children’s Advocacy Center in Bedford has received a generous $10,000 grant from the Bedford Community Health Foundation.

The Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) serves as a resource to law enforcement and social services as a safe and comfortable place to conduct forensic interviews of children who have been victims of child sexual, serious physical abuse, or who have witnessed a crime. The CAC is a child-friendly facility that allows children to share what they witnessed or what happened to them in their own words, during a non-biased interview process. Forensic Interviewers are trained in conducting these interviews in non-leading, non-suggestive ways following national research-based protocols. Forensic interviewers collaborate with law enforcement and child protective services personnel before and during the interview process, to discuss any issues or questions, in order to proceed with the case.

THANK YOU Bedford Community Health Foundation! This generous grant will allow us to continue our work in the Bedford area.