12-Non-profit agencies requesting funding

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The Children's Advocacy Center of Paris P.O. Box 536, Paris, Texas 75461 Phone: 903-784-5787 FarY: 903-784-7104 www.cacparis.org Ju►e is, 2009 Interim Chief Bob Hundley Paris Police Depurtment 2910 Clnrksville St. Paris, Texas 75460 Denr Chief Hundley: The Children's Advocacy Center of Paris (CAC) is n privnte non-profit orgnnization. As you nlre4dy know, CACs were started so thnt when children had to be interviewed nbout possible sexuwl and/or physical nbuse, there wns a neutrnl, non-threatening place for the child to come. By reducing the number of times these children rnust shnre the details of the abuse, nnd hnving all of the departments thnt investignte child nbuse come together in one location for the benefit of the child, we can lessen ihe trnumn for these innocent victims. Services provided by the Center include but ure not limited to forensic interviews (which serve as an investigntive tool for all agencies involved), medical and mental health services, cnse trncking, team coordinntion, court testimony nnd court accompaniment for victims and their fumily members. Estnblished in 1999, the CAC hns served 2,268 children nnd their non-offending fnmily members. The nvernge number of children served per yenr is 235. Approximntely 60% of all children served by the Center live in the city of Pnris. The CAC is proud of the work thnt we hnve been able to nccomplish by working as a tenm with the Paris Police Depnrtment, Child Protective Services and the County Attorney's Office. Although we are n non-profit orgnnizntion, we still hnve all of the dny to day opernting expenses nssocinted with running a small busiriess. As we do not chnrge tor ony of the services provided, we must look to the community, our inter-agency pnrtners and foundntions/grants for finnncial nssistance. Between successful grnnt requests and local fundraising, we nre nble to raise n substnntial nmount of our operating expenses. However, many of our grants nre match grnnts or designnted grnnts, meaning funds may only be spent for certuin allownble expenses. Mnny foundations prefer to fund new projects, etc. instend of providing funding for daily opernting expenses. We must continue to seek funding sources to offset daily opernting expenses. The amount of 12 500 that we are requesting from the Pnris Police Depnrtment/City of Paris is essentinl to the continued operntion of the Center especinlly during n time when the costs of utilities continues to rise. Securing the requested funding ensures that the CAC is able to provide the services required every ti►ne thnt we nre colled by police investigntors. We appreciate the work that you and the Pnris Police Depnrtment do to protect children in Paris and we are glad thnt we cnn assist in this endeuvor. Sincerely, ~ Mitzi White Executive Director Making a difference in the lives of abused children S + ~ . 000060