Apfelbaum Law Managing Attorney Nico Apfelbaum has joined the Advisory Board for the Child Advocacy Center (CAC).
The CAC was created by Guardians for New Futures (GFNF4kids), to be located at the old PGA Golf Learning Center in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The CAC will serve abused and neglected children from the entire 19th Judicial Circuit (St. Lucie, Martin, Indian River and Okeechobee counties). St. Lucie County Sheriff Chief Deputy Garry Wilson will be chairing the Advisory Board.
Out of 20 Judicial Circuits in Florida, there are only three without an advocacy center for maltreated children – and we are one of them. Many of them have been in existence since the ‘90s.
The CAC has made significant progress since launching in January and hopes to be serving children by next summer.
Since January, the CAC has accomplished the following:
- Received over $300,000 dollars of in-kind services from individuals and companies invested and passionate about this project, including Tambone Companies, Architect Peter W. Jones, Remnant Construction, and Jeremiah Baron & Company.
- Raised $500,000 for the buildout, estimated at $950,000.
- Secured a 10-year lease on a building in St. Lucie West, which is central to the entire Judicial Circuit. The lease will begin February 2021, and we hope to be serving children by Summer 2021.
- Developed blueprints for the interior buildout, thanks to Peter Jones.
- Developing strategies to bring in even more funds, such as offering room dedications, Giving Tree, etc.
- Working with local Communities Connected for Kids and legislatures for State Appropriation to cover buildout costs.
- Working with Cleveland Clinic Martin Health to sponsor equipment and supplies for Sexual Assault Exam Room and Physical Abuse Exam Room
- Met with and received support from all major stakeholders – more than 25 agencies – and working in collaboration with all
- Developing a Memo of Understanding (MOU) in collaboration with all stakeholders – headed by State Attorney, 19th Judicial Circuit
- Have support of Senator Gayle Harrell
- Launched GoFundMe campaign
- Working directly with Florida Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers (FNCAC) Executive Director and Board Member
- Interview on WPTV, which aired September 26, 2020
About the CAC
The CAC is one location which provides all needed resources for the child – everything from the initial forensic interview, physical exam to mental health resources and more. We are one of the few Judicial Circuits in Florida without an advocacy center for maltreated children.
Without the CAC, children are being retraumatized at every step, given the many locations they must visit to tell their story. With the CAC, the child only needs to tell their story one time. In just one year, there were 3,000 allegations of maltreatment and an average of 35 children removed from their homes monthly due to maltreatment here in our judicial circuit. Since the pandemic, the severity of the abuse is much greater.
