Williamstown Bank kicks off child advocacy campaign
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PARKERSBURG -- The West Virginia Child Advocacy Network Monday kicked off a new campaign to raise awareness and funds for the 21 Child Advocacy Centers across the state.
The #High5Drive campaign asks individuals and businesses to give a High 5 and donate $5 for each child served at the West Virginia Child Advocacy Center last year. In fiscal year 2022, 4,703 brave kids walked through the doors of a Child Advocacy Center following allegations of sexual abuse, physical abuse or neglect.
A Child Advocacy Center provides a safe, child-friendly facility where child protection, criminal justice, and child treatment professionals work together to investigate abuse, hold offenders accountable, and help children heal.
North Star Child Advocacy Center in Parkersburg is partnering with Williamstown Bank. The bank and each of its three branches are official campaign site partners where they'll display the hands representing children served at our center. People can visit a Williamstown Bank branch to get its #High5Drive handprint and share a message of encouragement for these kids, or write their name or the name of a loved one.
Williamstown Bank locations are: 435 Highland Ave., Williamstown, (304) 375-6262; 3002 E. Seventh St., Parkersburg, (304) 485-1717; 1605 Harris Highway, Lubeck, (304) 973-1442.
"We are so excited for the #High5Drive Campaign," said Greg Collins, executive director of North Star. "It will be a great visual representation of the number of brave kids we served last year and showcase the community support for child survivors of abuse. We are so appreciative of Williamstown Bank for partnering with us for this venture."
Williamstown Bank also is honored to support North Star Child Advocacy Center, Sharon Anderson, president and CEO of Williamstown Bank said.
"Each of our offices will have hand prints available and we hope to help North Star meet their goal of 618 high five hands to represent each of the local children they served last year," she said. "These children represent our future generation, and we believe in the services North Star provides them in their time of need. We are proud to partner with Greg and his team at North Star and we greatly appreciate their service to our community."
North Star Child Advocacy Center saw 618 kids in 2022, the most in the state, with a campaign goal of $3,090. Donations can be made through the Campaign website at https://high5drive.causevox.com/North-Star-CAC. All money raised locally will go to support the North Star Child Advocacy Center.
North Star is the largest Child Advocacy Center in West Virginia regarding the number of counties officially served (5), and the busiest Child Advocacy Center in West Virginia seeing over 600 new children in each of the past three years.
North Star Child Advocacy Center has no consistent source of funding. It is funded by grants, foundations, and donations only.
North Star is only one of three Child Advocacy Centers in the state that provides medical services. Without our Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, a child must go at least one hour away to get a medical exam, being Bridgeport, Morgantown, or Charleston.
West Virginia Child Advocacy Network provides statewide leadership in the fight against child abuse while working side-by-side with the 21 Child Advocacy Centers throughout the state. The network provides training, technical assistance, leadership, legislative and policy advocacy, and overall coordination to Child Advocacy Centers around the state.