National Children’s Alliance Recognizes Outstanding Leaders in the Children’s Advocacy Center Movement

Annual Awards Presented at the 2013 National Children’s Alliance Leadership Conference
National Children’s Alliance
Washington, D.C.

On Monday, June 3, National Children’s Alliance presented seven awards to outstanding leaders and supporters of the Children’s Advocacy Center Movement. These exemplary individuals and organizations have each demonstrated a passion for this important cause through professional, volunteer, personal and/or advocacy-related support. The award recipients, who represent communities and organizations across the country, received their recognition at the Annual Awards Luncheon during the 2013 National Children’s Alliance Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. (June 2 – 5).

“We are proud to present these individuals with our organization’s highest forms of recognition for their important work on behalf of child victims of abuse around the country. Each of these individuals has greatly contributed to the work of the child advocacy center movement, and we thank them for their extraordinary commitments,” remarked Teresa Huizar, Executive Director of National Children’s Alliance.

2013 National Children’s Alliance Leadership Award recipients:

Volunteer Leadership Individual Award presented to Anne Neal Moore
This award recognizes an individual volunteer who has demonstrated perseverance and dedication to a local Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC); through the recipient’s efforts, the viability of the CAC has been appreciably affected. Mrs. Moore received the 2013 Volunteer Leadership Individual Award as a result of her longstanding dedication to the Children’s Advocacy Center movement in her community and in her state. As the Children’s Advocacy Center movement has organized and expanded in Mississippi, Mrs. Moore has exhibited a devotion to the important work of both the State Chapter and the nine Children’s Advocacy Centers that comprise it. Over the years, Mrs. Moore has provided major funding through His Way, Inc. to help set up interview rooms, purchase furniture and buy video/recording equipment and supplies for the majority of Children’s Advocacy Centers in Mississippi. Additionally, she regularly attends open house events, ribbon cuttings, fundraising events, training opportunities and legislative efforts to raise awareness of child abuse issues in the state.

Volunteer Leadership Group Award presented to Lexus of Austin
This award recognizes a volunteer group that has demonstrated perseverance and dedication to a local Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC); through this group’s efforts, the viability of the CAC has been appreciably affected. For over 23 years, Lexus of Austin has supported the Center for Child Protection by introducing their culture of charitable giving and advocacy to the companies and people they work with. As the Center’s Title Sponsor for all major fundraising events, Lexus of Austin not only provides financial support, but also encourages all employees to volunteer their time and leverage their personal relationships to advance the Center’s mission. In 2012, their group efforts to make the 21st Annual Lexus Luxury Raffle a success amounted to Lexus employees selling for than a quarter of the Center’s 2,000 raffle tickets over a period over just three months.

Horowitz-Barker Professional Leadership Award presented to Billie Larkin
This award recognizes a professional who has demonstrated perseverance and dedication to a local Children’s Advocacy Center or to the Children’s Advocacy Center movement through his or her professional activities. Through the nominee’s efforts, the establishment and/or success of a Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) has been ensured. As a tireless advocate and skilled facilitator, Billie has helped develop new sources of support and funding for the vital services provided by Children’s Advocacy Centers of Illinois. During Illinois’ financial crisis, Billie successfully engaged local government leaders to develop legislation that provided unrestricted funding to support the services provided by Children’s Advocacy Centers in Illinois at a time when other traditional sources of funding were being reduced or eliminated. This past year, Billie also served on the task force that led to the passage of “Erin’s Law”, which expanded school-based child abuse prevention education for children from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade.

Outstanding Chapter Leader Award presented to Cathy Purvis
This award recognizes a professional who has demonstrated perseverance and dedication to an NCA Chapter of Children’s Advocacy Centers through his or her professional activities. Through the recipient’s efforts, the establishment and/or success of a Chapter of CACs has been ensured. Since becoming executive director, Cathy has helped grow the number of accredited Children’s Advocacy Centers in North Carolina by more than 63%. Additionally, with Cathy’s leadership, the annual Reflections Symposium on Child Abuse and Neglect has provided training for thousands of child abuse professionals, with conference attendance doubling during her tenure. Her dedication to CACNC has fostered the growth and development of Children’s Advocacy Centers throughout the state while simultaneously building CACNC into an organization that is respected statewide and beyond.

Bud Cramer Awards presented to Senator Max Baucus, Representative David Camp, and Representative Lloyd Doggett
This award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated commitment and dedication to children through extraordinary promotion of the Children’s Advocacy Center model. The recipients of this award have moved the field forward through vision, leadership, and the ability to reach and motivate great numbers of people. National Children’s Alliance selected Sen. Max Baucus, Rep. David Camp and Rep. Lloyd Doggett because of their key support and sponsorship of the Protect Our Kids Act, passed by the Senate in January 2013. The Protect Our Kids Act creates a bipartisan, two-year Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities, consisting of 12 members who will be appointed by the President and congressional leaders. The commission will study data on child fatalities from abuse and neglect, review current prevention methods and best practices, and evaluate the adequacy of current programs in order to recommend a comprehensive national strategy to reduce fatalities from child abuse and neglect.

For more information about National Children’s Alliance and the 2013 National Children’s Alliance Leadership Conference, visit www.nationalchildrensalliance.org.

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National Children’s Alliance is the national association and accrediting body for the over 750 children’s advocacy centers serving each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Dedicated to helping local communities respond to allegations of child abuse in ways that are effective and efficient, and put the needs of child victims of abuse first, National Children’s Alliance provides support and advocacy to its accredited membership, as well as numerous developing centers, multidisciplinary teams and child abuse professionals around the country, and the world. As the national authority on multidisciplinary approaches to supporting child victims of abuse, the purpose of National Children’s Alliance is to empower local communities to provide comprehensive, coordinated and compassionate services to victims of child abuse. Founded in 1998, National Children’s Alliance provides accreditation opportunities, financial assistance, training, technical assistance, research and education to communities, child abuse professionals and children’s advocacy centers throughout the United States in support of child abuse intervention, advocacy and prevention.