JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced today that Chris Brown, Government Affairs Manager for CITGO Petroleum, has been appointed to the Will County Children's Advocacy Center's Board of Directors. Brown was nominated by State’s Attorney Glasgow and approved by the Board at its April meeting.
“Our new board member brings with him talent, dedication to service, and a commitment to helping the children served by the CAC,” Glasgow said. “I look forward to working with Chris as we continue to guide the Children’s Advocacy Center in its mission of providing hope, healing, and justice to children who have been abused and neglected.”
An active member of the community, Brown has served on the board of the United Way of Grundy County, volunteered with the Conservation Foundation, helped MorningStar Mission, and assisted with the Special Olympics 50th Anniversary celebration in Chicago.
“It is important to give back to our community, and there is no better way than to help vulnerable children whose lives have been impacted by trauma,” Brown said. ”I look forward to working with this important organization that does so much to positively impact the lives of abused children. By assisting these children not only through the court process, but also through the advocacy, counseling, and social services, the CAC brings healing into the lives of the children and family members it serves.”
Before the meeting, Frankfort Township Supervisor and Will County Board Member Jim Moustis presented a $2,500 check to the Children’s Advocacy Center on behalf of the Township.
“It is an honor for Frankfort Township to support this impactful organization that does so much every day to protect the children of Will County,” Moustis said. “When contributions are made to the CAC, we know that the money is spent wisely and goes to necessary services for those most in need.”
In accepting the contribution, Glasgow stated that since he founded the Center in 1995, nearly 9,000 children have received services. “Since 2015, the number of children served has increased by 56 percent. In the last three years alone, the CAC has served approximately 1625 children,” Glasgow stated.
“The services the CAC provides have continued to grow as we continually strive for innovative ways to enhance the prosecution of these cases and assist our victims and non-offending family members. Whether it is our Paws-4-Kids program that provides comfort dogs to the children, or trauma-focused individual therapy and therapeutic support groups, the CAC has continued to expand to meet the needs of the children and their non-offending family members.”
Glasgow established the CAC as a not-for-profit agency to improve investigations into cases involving child sexual abuse. When a child makes an outcry of sexual abuse, the child is brought to the Center where trained and compassionate forensic interviewers obtain an accurate statement in a neutral, non-suggestive, and child-friendly environment. Forensic interviews recorded at the CAC have been used in the successful prosecution of hundreds of predators.
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