Sunday November 15 will be the church’s first SASO of this church year. The Social Action Shared Offerings (SASO) program of the UU Church of Canton was created in the 1990’s. Through the program, we raise contributions and awareness about a wide variety of organizations that working to solve social problems and make a difference. The Child Advocacy Center of Northern NY has been chosen for this SASO. The Child Advocacy Center of Northern New York is a program of the Victims Assistance Center of Jefferson County. The satellite office in St. Lawrence County (currently located in Canton) opened in 2017.
The Child Advocacy Center provides services such as multidisciplinary investigations, mental health services, forensic interviews, medical services, advocacy services along with community outreach and education. By working in collaboration with other disciplines the judicial process is streamlined for families and children who are experiencing trauma and difficult times.
In 2019 the Advocacy Center provided services to 279 children/families in this county. In light of the recent pandemic, the Advocacy Center saw an increase of 25% more children receiving services from April to June of 2020 then had been seen in past quarters. The global pandemic poses different challenges for children who are victims of abuse or neglect. In order to meet the needs of the children and families that are served , the Advocacy Center is ever evolving and expanding to meet needs more efficiently and offer additional support in times of uncertainty.
Recently, the Advocacy Center, has been looking into purchasing a shed for the office to free up space in the office to make the space more trauma informed and increase space for direct services. The staff at the Advocacy Center appreciate the congregation’s effort to aid in their mission and help them reach even more people than before. For more information check out the website www.vacjc.com