The Advocacy Center for Crime Victims and Children in Waco is a vital non-profit organization that serves potentially anyone and everyone in our area. Their mission is to promote healing of children and crime victims through advocacy, collaboration, prevention, and treatment across six Central Texas Counties, serving over 7,000 victims.
Victims can suffer both vocally and in silence because of acts of violence committed against them. Anyone–men, women, and children–may be affected by violence, which is why the Advocacy Center for Crime Victims and Children does not discriminate based on race, creed, color, religion, disability, nationality, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, English proficiency, or age.
Unfortunately, children are one of the most vulnerable populations that are susceptible to neglect, which can appear as abuse in physical, emotional, or sexual forms. The Advocacy Center not only provides an immediate response to victims of violence with their Victims Center, but they also take care of our youth through work with the Children’s Advocacy Center.
The Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) provides a helping hand to hurting children by minimizing their amount of time involved in the investigative and judicial processes. The CAC takes a holistic, coordinated approach to suspected abuse, which includes steps like videotaped forensic interviews. This way, the child has the opportunity to share their story in a safe, confidential manner. They also offer forensic medical examinations that ensure the physical health of the child and weekly case reviews, in which partner agencies oversee each case.
The Advocacy Center greatly relies on the community, and a few of their partner agencies include law enforcement, child protective services, the district attorney, the medical community, social workers, and case managers. However, they utilize volunteers and donations in order to aid the Advocacy Center’s staff, allowing the day-to-day operations of the Center to run smoothly and efficiently. Without these volunteers and monetary donations, they would not be able to continue to serve and impact our community so effectively.
The Advocacy Center has two community events coming up, including the 2025 Waco Designer Purse Bingo Day and the 2026 Mardi Gras Ball. Visit their website or Instagram to find more information on these special occasions!
Elizabeth Riley hails from Tennessee and is a graduate of English Literature and Professional Writing & Rhetoric from Baylor University. With passions in archival preservation, communal connection, and women in sports, she writes because it matters, with hopes of bridging villages and fostering revelry amongst them.
Atmos Energy recently donated $5,000 to the McLennan Community College Foundation to help support Paulanne’s Pantry, the MCC food pantry.
“This gift will do so much to help us serve students who are working hard to support themselves or a family while they attend college,” said Kim Patterson, the foundation’s executive director. “Hunger is a real issue on college campuses, especially at community colleges where many students live perilously close to the edge of financial security. We are incredibly grateful to Atmos Energy for their commitment to support our students.”
The gift will enable MCC’s pantry to provide meals for up to 200 students because of the pantry’s supply partnership with the Central Texas Food Bank, according Natalie James, Completion Center associate director. Students who access the pantry are typically limited to one visit per month and are provided with coaching to help with accessing other community resources. Each pantry visit provides enough food for three meals for a family.
Paulanne’s Pantry was named in honor of Waco resident Paulanne Ream Hoover, who left a gift to the MCC Foundation in her estate plan. This gift funded an endowment to cover basic costs of pantry operations, as well as establish the first scholarship fund for part-time students at the college.
The MCC Foundation raises public and private support to fund scholarships, faculty and staff professional development, emergency aid and capital needs at the college. To learn more, visit www.mclennan.edu/foundation or contact Patterson at 254-299-8606 or [email protected].
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