The Children’s Advocacy Center of SWFL’s (CAC) mission is to provide a coordinated response to child victims of abuse and neglect and to improve the lives of at-risk children and their families through prevention services. They assess and treat children alleged to have been physically or sexually abused or at risk of abuse and provide a safe place for them to be heard. They fulfill this mission through services like abuse determination, therapeutic counseling, pet therapy, parenting education, and prevention programs for children and families in Lee, Hendry, Glades, and Charlotte Counties.
One of CAC’s programs is The Beesley’s Paw Prints Pet Therapy Program, funded by Ms. Carol Beesley through United Way. This program started in 2015 and includes lobby greeters and certified therapy dog teams. Lobby greeters are dedicated volunteers who sit in the lobby with a puppy (or senior dog) from the Gulf Coast Humane Society and warmly welcomes clients to the CAC. These adorable dogs serve as a delightful distraction and source of stress relief for both children and adults. Certified therapy dogs and their handlers are dedicated volunteers who provide comfort and support to children in CAC’s therapy program and individuals, groups, organizations, schools, etc. in the community. Additionally, in collaboration with the twentieth judicial circuit court system, our therapy dog teams also support children and their families in both family and criminal court.
Soukup Strategic Solutions is honored to assist CAC with Strategic Planning to support its mission and the impact they make in SWFL. We look forward to another year of partnership with an organization delivering such meaningful work to the community!