Latest news with #HandsAroundtheCourthouse
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Yahoo
Dixon's Hands Around the Courthouse aims to raise child abuse prevention awareness
Apr. 28—DIXON — About 100 people gathered outside the Old Lee County Courthouse in Dixon on Friday afternoon holding up blue pinwheels, the national symbol for child abuse prevention, at Shining Star Children's Advocacy Center's third annual Hands Around the Courthouse. The event called attention to April's Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month. The 2025 theme is "Powered by hope and strengthened by connection," said Aram Perry, deputy director of child protection at the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. "The pinwheel in a symbol of hope," Shining Star Executive Director Jessica Cash said. But the month is "about more than ribbons and posters and our pinwheels. It's about real children, real pain, and real hope. Thanks to the work of Shining Star Children's Advocacy Center that hope is alive and growing," Lee County Assistant State's Attorney Bridget Schott said. ExpandAutoplay Image 1 of 6 Approximately 100 people attend "Hands Around the Courthouse" Friday, April 25, 2025, to bring attention to Child Abuse Prevention Month. The blue pinwheel is a national symbol of child abuse prevention. (Alex T. Paschal) Shining Star is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocacy center serving those in Lee and Ogle counties. The center works with area law enforcement, prosecutors and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to investigate allegations of child abuse and, particularly, child sex abuse. Schott said in her 14 years as a prosecutor across Illinois, the best CAC she's worked with is Shining Star. "Our community really comes out and supports Shining Star and, by doing so, we as a community are telling our children we believe you," she said. At the event, one community member, Mel Burgett of Dixon, was honored for his longtime support of the center. One of the ways he does that is by not accepting payment for catching moles in others yards. Instead, Burgett asks others to donate to the center, Cash said. One of many services Shining Star provides is conducting forensic interviews with a child whom they suspect has been abused. The interview is designed so the child only has to tell their story once to a forensic interviewer who knows the right questions to ask in a way that does not retraumatize the child. Law enforcement professionals who need to see the interview can watch on a monitor in a separate room, Cash said. In 2024, the center conducted 181 interviews with new children coming to the center, Cash said. On average, the agency provides services to about 300 children in Lee and Ogle counties each year. Within that 300, about 150 to 250 of them are new to the center, she said. "That's just here in our community and while the statistics are staggering, what's even more heartbreaking is that behind every number is a child. A child who is scared, silenced and often suffering in isolation," Schott said. In Illinois there are 40 CACs, including Shining Star, that also provide referrals to mental health services, medical exams, courtroom preparation, victim advocacy and more. At Shining Star, the agency has a full-time counselor, who will provide individual counseling, as well as two support groups for teenagers and the child's parents or caregivers. Cash noted that all of the center's services are completely free to the children and their caregivers. It's entirely funded through federal and state grants, as well as donations and fundraisers. Shining Star has a T-shirt fundraiser and a jail and bail fundraiser that are ongoing through April. On its website, there's an ongoing wish list of in-need items, including things such as juice boxes, individual snacks, fleece blankets and more. Monetary donations can also be made on its website. Suspected child abuse can be reported to the DCFS Hotline at 1-800-25-ABUSE.
Chicago Tribune
17-04-2025
- Health
- Chicago Tribune
CASA Kane County forms advisory council to help reduce number of children going into foster care
On Thursday, CASA Kane County announced the launch of a cross-county advisory council meant to reduce the number of children who enter foster care, according to a news release from the organization. CASA Kane County is a nonprofit that advocates for children in foster care through Court Appointed Special Advocate, or CASA, volunteers, the group has said. The nonprofit trains and supervises volunteers who then represent children in foster care in juvenile courts, according to its website. The formation of the council is in response to a major increase in children entering the foster care system, the news release said. In 2024, CASA Kane County said it served nearly 700 children, roughly double the number it served in 2019, according to the release. CASA Kane County is still adding organizations to the council, so the full list is not yet finalized, Executive Director Jim Di Ciaula said on Thursday. Some of the organizations they've already brought on board include Rush Copley Pediatrics, Northwestern Medicine, the Kane County Health Department, Waubonsee Community College, Aurora University, Geneva counseling provider TriCity Family Services and Aurora and Elgin police. Di Ciaula announced the newly-formed advisory council at the organization's annual 'Hands Around the Courthouse' event in Geneva last week, saying they would soon be launching a pilot program focused on assisting children 14 years old and older. The initiative is meant to focus on prevention, education and early intervention, according to Thursday's press release. One of its early priorities is connecting existing programs and services to 'reduce the complexity and simplify ease of access,' Di Ciaula said in the release. 'This isn't a Band-Aid solution,' CASA Kane County board member and volunteer Laura Oswald said in the release. 'This is about truly changing the landscape for generations to come.' The initiative is in line with the Department of Children and Family Services' statewide goals of focusing on families and encouraging community-based support, the press release said. 'When all partners in the child welfare system work together, we become stronger and are able to do more to ensure young people can grow and thrive,' Illinois DCFS Director Heidi Miller said in the release. The council has outlined short- and long-term goals, the release said. It is currently seeking more community leaders, identifying what resources are available and finding gaps in service in the community.
Chicago Tribune
07-04-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Event in Geneva designed to raise awareness of child abuse
CASA Kane County invites the community to join the annual Hands Around the Courthouse event set for noon on Thursday, April 10, at the Kane County Courthouse in Geneva. The event serves as a reminder of the need to protect abused and neglected children and raise awareness of the effects of child abuse, according to a press release from CASA Kane County. CASA Kane County is a nonprofit organization committed to serving the interests of children in foster care through the advocacy of Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers, group officials said. Held in observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, the Hands Around the Courthouse event brings together community members, legal professionals and child advocates to spotlight the challenges faced by children in the foster care system, the release stated. Each year, CASA Kane County's volunteers advocate for nearly 700 children, working to ensure their voices are heard and their futures safeguarded, officials with the group said. By gathering for the event, participants reinforce their commitment to breaking the cycle of abuse and neglect, according to the release. This year's event will feature Kane County Chief Judge Robert Villa, Kane County State's Attorney Jamie Mosser and CASA Kane County Executive Director Jim Di Ciaula, event organizers said. They will provide insights into the state of child welfare in the county and discuss how the community can help. 'We could not do this critical work without our dedicated volunteers, our loyal supporters and our community partners and friends,' Di Ciaula said of the efforts of CASA Kane County. 'We need all of you – and more – to join us in our important journey to protect children by providing a caring, trusted adult who is a constant in their lives and gives them encouragement, support and most importantly hope. 'We ask anyone interested in supporting children, to take the time to learn more about getting involved with CASA Kane County and joining us at this meaningful community event,' he said in the release. For more information about Hands Around the Courthouse and to learn how to get involved with CASA Kane County, go to or call 630-232-4484.
