The year-end has come and gone, and here we are in 2022. Many of us thought 2021 was going to be our year to get more done, be more present, more giving, more aware. Then, December 31 came and went before we knew it.
Maybe you ended the year shorter on funds than you thought, so weren’t able to give like you had hoped. Maybe time got away from you (or was that just me?) and you forgot about those charities you learned about earlier in the year who needed your help.
So, how can we do things differently in 2022? It’s a new year and time for a new plan. Giving a one-time donation at the end of the year – at the same time we are buying gifts for loved ones or traveling – can be hard. Without meaning to, we can run short on funds and those donations we planned for had to go by the way side. But, there is another option. Monthly giving!
Instead of a larger, one-time donation, would you consider a smaller, once a month donation? We are setting a goal in 2022 to have 40 members in our monthly donor program called “The Pride”. A group of 40 teammates giving at least $25 per month (just $300 a year per person) would add an additional $12,000 to our annual fundraising efforts. This will allow the CAC to fill in the gaps in funding left by cancelled or postponed fundraisers, increases in the cost of – well, everything!- and delays in other funding sources caused by the pandemic.
One forensic interview costs approximately $250 to complete. The CAC did 520 interviews in last year at a cost of at least $130,000. A therapy session costs approximately $100 per session. In 2021, we held 1,745 sessions, at a cost of $174,000.
We provide these services at no cost to families. Why? Because victims shouldn’t be penalized for being victims. Neither should their families. Many of us can help them cover the costs of taking care of their children during a very troubling time. So, let’s do it – together.
Working together, we can make a real difference in the lives of children in our 9-county region by providing much needed help in times of crisis. That’s right! More than 25% of our cases come from counties outside of Buchanan. Our coverage area includes 8 counties besides our home county of Buchanan (including Andrew, Atchison, Clinton, DeKalb, Gentry, Holt, Nodaway and Worth). When we all come together for the greater good, children benefit.
I hope you will consider becoming a member of The Pride. Just visit www.voicescac.org and click on the DONATE button. There you can choose your donation amount and then click ‘Monthly’. You will receive a receipt each month, and so will we. You just set it once and you are good to go! It’s very easy to do and you can rest easy knowing your gift is helping children in Northwest Missouri all year long.
I hope you will join me and my teammates in The Pride. We look forward to working with you!
Melissa Birdsell, Executive Director
