In February, a month often associated with love, we’re reminded that love also looks like safety, advocacy, and showing up for children when it matters most.
WHAT’S HAPPENING?
In this first quarter of 2026, we are rolling out our Corporate Champions Campaign. What is that, you might be asking?
This campaign is designed to partner with local businesses that share our commitment to protecting children and strengthening families.
Local businesses and corporations can play a vital role in ensuring children in our community can access services without cost, delay or barriers, regardless of their family’s circumstances.
We will be asking businesses to join our Founding Champion, Mosaic Life Care, in partnering with us for kids’ sake. These partnerships will do the following:
- Help ensure children receive FREE trauma-informed care when they need it most
- Demonstrate visible leadership in child protection and community wellbeing
- Leverage a Missouri tax credit to maximize your charitable investment
- Align your brand with a local, trusted, mission-driven organization making measurable impact in your community
If you would like to be a part of this partnership and become a Corporate Champion, call us at 816-232-1744 or contact Melissa.
THE MORE YOU KNOW
Our 2025 Impact
The beginning of a new year is an exciting time. It’s not just a time to look forward, but a time to look back and ask some important questions. For a nonprofit like ours, those questions include things like “Did we do all we could?” “Are the children we served safer?”
These are heavy questions, but the subject matter we deal with is heavy as well.
If you would like to know more about how our 2025 ended up, you can look at our newly published 2025 Impact Report here. In this report, we discuss the community need for a child advocacy center, our impact, a little about our financial situation, outcomes, our collaborative partners and the introduction of the above-mentioned Corporate Champions Campaign.
The biggest piece of insight is this: The need for our services continues to increase. Forensic interview requests were up 11.5%, therapy provided was up 12.5% and our advocacy services increased by 37% from the previous year.
Even though we provided all of these services, some needs are still unmet. Children are on wait lists for therapy. Forensic interviews are difficult to schedule in the timeframes we prefer due to the sheer quantity of the requests.
We know we have to increase our staff in order to meet the need. We are in the planning stages to do just that through our 2026-28 Strategic Plan. Growth takes time, effort and resources but we are determined to meet the demand – it’s our mission.
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Community Gratitude
At Voices of Courage, healing is never a solo effort. It is made possible by a community that believes children deserve safety, compassion, and a path forward after trauma.
As we reflect on the start of this year, we want to pause and say thank you.
To our donors – Your generosity ensures that children can access forensic interviews, trauma-focused therapy, and advocacy services at no cost – when families need them most. Your support helps remove barriers and replaces fear with hope.
To our MDT (Multidisciplinary Team) members – Your collaboration strengthens every step of the child’s journey. Because of your dedication, children are met with coordinated, thoughtful care rather than navigating complex systems alone.
To our Board Members – Your time, voices and belief in this mission extend our reach far beyond our walls. You help create a community where children are seen, believed, and protected.
And to those who quietly share our work, check in, or encourage others to support children – your impact matters more than you may know.
In a year that has challenged nonprofits nationwide, this community has remained steady. Because of you, children are not just served, they are supported, believed, and given space to heal.
From all of us at the CAC, thank you for being part of this work. Together, we are building a safer, stronger community for children.
Melissa Birdsell
Healing happens when a community shows up for children – thank you for being part of that care.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
One Safe Adult Can Change Everything
Research consistently shows that a stable, supportive relationship with at least one safe adult is one of the strongest protective factors for children who have experienced trauma.
When children have an adult who listens, believes them, and responds predictably, their stress response begins to settle and their ability to cope improves. These relationships help children rebuild trust, regulate emotions, and develop resilience over time.
Research is one thing, but how about a real example of the importance of believing a child? (name and some details changed for confidentiality)
Samantha was sexually abused at her church, a place where trust is assumed. When she told, no one believed her. Receiving no support was nearly as devastating as the abuse itself. Samantha became depressed and withdrawn over time, and finally began to self-harm.
But, Samantha never stopped looking for that safe adult. She kept telling until someone believed her and did something with the information. Now, her perpetrator is in prison where he can no longer harm children. With help from her therapist and others on our multidisciplinary team, Samantha graduated and no longer wants to hurt herself. Her future is bright and she can now be in charge of her own life.
Whether that adult is a caregiver, teacher, coach, advocate or therapist, consistent connection and safety can significantly reduce the long-term impact of trauma and support healthy development.
You Can Be That Safe Adult
You don’t need special training – just consistency. Listen without judgment, believe children when they share, respond calmly, and keep your word. Small, steady actions – showing up, checking in, and offering reassurance – can make a lifelong difference.
#itisyourbusiness Missouri Child Abuse & Neglect Hotline 800-392-3738