2024-2025 State Service Project
The Missouri Network Against Child Abuse (MO-NACA), formally Missouri Kids First, is the expert in training, community education, and child advocacy for professionals, community members, and partners who provide children with access to safety, justice, and healing.
The organization has four pillars that center their work:
- Serve as the state membership organization and provide MEMBER SUPPORT & NETWORKING for advocacy groups by developing networks, building capacity, and championing efforts.
- Improve Missouri systems through ADVOCACY & RESPONSE by working to secure funding, advance legislation, and coordinate interagency engagement.
- Facilitate COMMUNITY EDUCATION & OUTREACH through curriculum development, resources administration, and awareness campaigns.
- Administer PROFESSIONAL TRAINING & CERTIFICATION by designing and conducting courses, providing resources, and certifying experts.
Within this network against child abuse lies Child Advocacy Centers (CACs). A child advocacy center is a safe, child-friendly space where children who are victims of abuse can receive a coordinated response from a multidisciplinary team of professionals. These centers were created to address the needs of child abuse victims by centralizing community resources in one place. The child-focused approach of CACs minimizes the number of times children must be interviewed and reduces any further trauma they may experience.
In Missouri, 15 regional child advocacy centers provide services to all 114 counties, and the City of St. Louis. Most services provided by a CAC require a referral from investigative partners, but Missouri FCCLA encourages you to locate and connect with your local CAC to stay apprised of community events and ways to support CACs’ mission to facilitate justice and healing for children and families.
How can you get involved?
Missouri FCCLA has plans for a successful service project, provided support to MO-NACA through monetary fundraising as well as the regional child advocacy centers through donations of comfort items that are provided to the children utilizing the CACs’ services. FCCLA chapters and regions are encouraged to collect financial and in-kind donations and deliver to their regional CAC during the year. In-kind donations may be new stuffed animals or fleece blankets. These items, called comfort items, are given to children who visit the CAC and utilize the services provided. Awards are available for the chapter(s) that provide the most support to our service project organization(s) this year!
Service Ideas
Fundraise for monetary donations, and then donate the proceeds to your most local CAC.
Collect comfort items to donate to your most local CAC, such as new stuffed animals or fleece blankets.
Bring attention to CACs and MO-NACA in your area – host an informational or educational event, post on social media, and more.
Service Project Awards
The Golden Bear Award
This award recognizes the region that collects the largest number of stuffed animals for their regional child advocacy centers. Regions should check with their chosen CAC to learn about specific donation requirements. To be eligible for this award, the stuffed animals should be in new condition, and donated to at least one regional CAC within the region’s geographical area. The donation should be documented by the child advocacy center receiving the donation, and the documentation submitted by February 1, 2025.
The Cozy Contribution Award
This award recognizes the region that collects the largest number of fleece blankets for their regional child advocacy centers. Regions should check with their chosen CAC to learn about specific donation requirements. To be eligible for this award, the blankets should be in new condition, and donated to at least one regional CAC within the region’s geographical area. The donation should be documented by the child advocacy center receiving the donation, and the documentation submitted by February 1, 2025.
