Press Release

CARTERSVILLE, GA-APRIL 21, 2015: Advocates for Children has been very busy this month hosting activities for Child Abuse Prevention Month. Their goal is to increase awareness and help educate the community on how abuse and neglect can be prevented.

Advocates is honored to host First Lady Sandra Deal for a visit to Cartersville on Friday, April 24 as part of Prevent Child Abuse prevention month.  Mrs. Deal will be joined by state Division of Family Children Services (DFCS) director Bobby Cagle. Advocates is thrilled to have Mr. Cagle, the top executive with DFCS, as part of the visit.

The visit will begin at Advocates’ Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) located on Douglas Street to observe a parenting class using Triple P curriculum facilitated by Hope in Your Home staff. Hope in Your Home is a home visitation program designed to assist parents of children at risk of experiencing child maltreatment but who have not yet had it occur and are not involved with DFCS Child Protective Services. Hope in Your Home helps with parenting skills and education with the intent of preventing child abuse from occurring.

After a visit to the Bartow County DFCS office, Mrs. Deal will arrive at the Advocates for Children administrative offices and Flowering Branch Children’s Shelter to view a pinwheel garden, tour the shelter, and observe Commissioner Steve Taylor and Cartersville Mayor Matt Santini sign a proclamation declaring April as Child Abuse Prevention Month in our community.

“We are honored that the First Lady chose us for her visit.  She really wants to see our parenting program, Hope in Your Home, in action, and to visit one of the dozen or so pinwheel gardens that Advocates will have around the county this year,” said Patty Eagar, CEO and President of Advocates for Children.  “Communities all over the state and across the country will be planting pinwheels, and we are excited that she wants to see ours!”

Advocates for Children administers eight programs with 42 employees and serves more than 3,000 children and families each year. Advocates is unique in the services they provide with no duplication of services in Bartow County. The treatment and prevention of child abuse and neglect is the primary purpose of every service provided by Advocates.