Supporting Child Victims of Abuse and Their Caregivers
In July 2015, the Dwane and Velma Wallace Foundation awarded the Child Advocacy Center of Sedgwick County (CACSC) a grant to help renovate the former Lincoln Elementary School in Wichita into a suitable new home for the CACSC.
The CACSC was formed in 2007 to unite service providers who work with child victims of abuse and their caregivers. According to the executive director of the CACSC, Diana Schunn, the organization assisted nearly 2,000 children in 2016.
“Before the renovation and new facility, we were in a less-than-child-friendly facility and our partners were at separate locations,” said Schunn.
Due in part to the Wallace Foundation grant, the CACSC and its partners have been located in the newly renovated facility at 1211 South Emporia since July 2016. In addition to the CACSC staff and services, the building provides offices and support for partner agencies that participate in child abuse and neglect investigations and treatment.
“The larger, child-focused facility puts kids at ease and they no longer have to travel between various providers— we’re all in one place,” said Schunn. “The kids are so comfortable in the new facility that some have even asked to come back.”
The newly renovated facility also allows for enhanced community education and partner training opportunities. To find out more about the CACSC, visit www.CACSCKansas.org.
Founded by Dwane and Velma Wallace in 1989, the Wallace Foundation’s mission is to support a wide variety of tax-exempt, charitable organizations primarily in the Wichita, Kansas area, and secondarily in the state of Kansas, in the categories of: arts and culture, education, community development and enhancement, social services and needs, and quality of life.
“The Wallace Foundation was incredibly easy to work with,” said Schunn. “We really appreciated that the Foundation took the time visit our facility.”
If you are interested in applying for a grant from The Wallace Foundation, find out more about Our Approval Process.
– Child Advocacy Center of Sedgwick County
