About

Every week, 10 children in Union County, New Jersey, are victims of physical or sexual abuse. And these are only the ones that have been disclosed. Often, the perpetrator is someone close to them, making the emotional and psychological impact even worse. And sadly, these numbers continue to rise, with such reports climbing more than 20 percent during the last three years. In 2015, nearly 600 Union County children reported as such.

In the past, after the original trauma, victims and their families would then have to endure multiple interviews at several different locations across the county to deal with the crime’s aftermath.

The Child Advocacy Center of Union County, NJ revolutionized how these children had to deal with this process and receive necessary care. Today, the state-of-the-art facility on West Jersey Street in Elizabeth houses investigative, prosecutorial, and therapeutic services all under one roof, streamlining the time it takes to receive such services from a week down to a single day.

The Friends of the Child Advocacy Center of Union County, NJ has one simple mission: to provide critical financial support to this facility, where a dedicated team of professionals works every day to help these children piece their lives back together.

Specifically, through the generosity of individual and group donors, the Friends assist in paying for the costs associated with mental health evaluation and treatment for children at high risk for post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidal ideation, or depression following the disclosure of sexual abuse. These critically important services are among the most vital that young victims receive and studies have shown how critical it is that they are delivered promptly following a traumatic incident. If we don’t reach these victims early, they rarely get to the appropriate care over time.

The Center’s work is never truly done, and by supporting the Friends, you are personally helping pave the road to recovery for the most vulnerable crime victims in the County, offering them a chance to move on and heal. So allow us to extend our sincere thanks for your interest in, and support of, the Friends of the Child Advocacy Center of Union County.

The Friends of the Child Advocacy Center of Union County, New Jersey, is a 501(c)(3) organization.