Protecting kids from the trauma of abuse

Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) help children who have suffered abuse get the care and protection they need to heal. Under the umbrella of the National Children’s Alliance, there are currently more than 950 CACs across the U.S.

These centers take a coordinated approach to providing care. When police or child protective services suspect abuse, a child is brought to a CAC to tell their story to a trained counselor who knows how to interview the child in a way that does not further traumatize them. Following the forensic interview, a team that includes a police officer, a trained child advocate, a member of child protective services and medical and mental health professionals decide how to best help the child.

Prior to this model, a child would have to describe their abuse to each of these professionals separately, forcing them to recount their trauma multiple times. Too often, this arduous approach discouraged victims and their advocates from pursuing justice.

A team approach to healing

One such CAC doing remarkable work is Healing Hearts, located in Southaven, Mississippi. The organization helps prepare families for court, offers safety education, raises community awareness and provides counseling and referrals for medical exams. Since opening in 2013, it has helped thousands of children and their families. In 2023 alone, the nonprofit directly assisted more than 925 children.

This child-centered approach ensures that victims receive more efficient and effective medical and mental health services. It also helps secure stronger legal cases against abusers, resulting in more arrests and prosecutions and greater protection for children. The professionals at Healing Hearts follow each child abuse case throughout the entire process, offering support to the child and the non-offending family members at no cost.

Stepping up in a time of need

After learning about their critical work, Benjamin Boren, co-owner of Boren & Hawkins Insurance, became a board member of Healing Hearts in 2019. When the Covid-19 pandemic forced the nonprofit to cancel its fundraising events in 2020, Boren and his agency of 16 employees, along with some of their clients, stepped up to help.

The pandemic coincided with a significant reduction in federal funding, forcing the nonprofit to lay off mental health professionals even as instances of abuse were rising with more parents at home or out of work. In response, the agency worked with Healing Hearts to launch two signature fundraisers. Between 2021 and 2023, these events raised about $100,000, which allowed the nonprofit to rehire a mental health therapist to serve children in need of care.

“Despite deep funding cuts, the caring people at Healing Hearts continued to help the most vulnerable members of our communities,” said Boren. “We’re proud to serve as supporting members of their team.”

“We’re proud to serve as supporting members of the Healing Hearts CAC team of professionals.”
– Benjamin Boren, Owner, Boren & Hawkins Insurance

Along with raising money, the agency also paid for advertising to support the fundraisers and provided space in their office for Healing Hearts meetings. In addition, staff members serve on the fundraising committee and volunteer at events, and Boren is currently acting as the nonprofit’s board president.

“The Boren & Hawkins team helped provide vital financial support at a time when other sources of funding were going away,” said Misty Gray, the executive director of Healing Hearts. “Their efforts helped us continue to provide needed support and services with less interruption.”

“The Boren & Hawkins team helped provide vital financial support at a time when other sources of funding were going away.”
— Misty Gray, Executive Director, Healing Hearts Child Advocacy Center

Reducing trauma and changing lives

Your vote can help the Healing Hearts Child Advocacy Center return to its full, pre-pandemic staffing numbers. Money from a Make More Happen award would be used to hire a mental health therapist and a trained coordinator, two essential roles in keeping children safe.

Help Boren & Hawkins Insurance win $10,000 for the Healing Hearts Child Advocacy Center by clicking the vote button. Get them an extra vote by cheering them on in the comments below by August 6.