The Heritage Community Foundation presented a $2,600 grant Nov. 10 to executive director Gayla Nobles, development director Melissa Tinsley Cates and programs/services director Christie Wooten of the Southern Crescent Sexual Assault & Child Advocacy Center (SCSAC-CAC).
The grant will be used for Forensic Interview Room upgrades, which are to include a new sofa and chair, rugs, acoustic panels, blackout curtains, and a child’s table and chair set. These upgrades will help provide a safe and comfortable environment for children during the interview process.
Forensic interviews are provided to children who may have experienced abuse or who have witnessed a crime or other violent act. The primary aim is to aid in ensuring the safety of the individual child as well as other children in the home and the community. The interview is observed by law enforcement and Department of Family and Children Services and produces evidence critical to the investigation and criminal prosecution.
Forensic interviews are conducted by specially trained forensic interviewers. In 2015, SCSAC-CAC completed 356 forensic interviews. Year-to-date 2016, they have completed 410 forensic interviews.
It is the mission of Southern Crescent Sexual Assault and Child Advocacy Center to provide a collaborative, coordinated community response in an effort to reduce the incidence of child maltreatment and sexual violence through prevention, intervention, and education.
Southern Crescent Sexual Assault and Child Advocacy Center is a Georgia non-profit 501(c)3 that addresses the immediate and long-term needs of victims of sexual assault and child maltreatment, their non-offending caregivers, and family members in south metro Atlanta. Their primary office is located in Henry County (Hampton) with an additional administrative office in Clayton County (Jonesboro). SCSAC-CAC’s programs and services consist of: 24-hour Crisis Line, Forensic Medical Examinations and Evidence Collection, Forensic Interviews, Victim Advocacy, Prevention Education, and Community Outreach.
For more information on how to apply for a grant with Heritage Community Foundation, make a donation or volunteer, visit www.heritagecommunityfoundation.org or contact executive director at 770-478-8881.
Pictured above are Kristen Lee, Gayla Nobles, Stacy Hammons, Melissa Tinsley Cates, Sheri Dockweiler, Luann Daniels, Kristen Simpson, Christie Wooten, Arrin Figueras, Jenny Smith, Pamela Cisneros, Kiesha Edmondson and Andrea Moreno.
