Families come to Sylvia’s CAC for forensic interviews after suspected crimes against kids. Forensic interviews are primarily supported by Victims of Crime Act funds.
Funding is never guaranteed year-to-year, and there’s so much more families rely on us for, long after the interview is complete.
We’re raising money to support kids when they need it now now and in the future.
Saving up for…
- Trauma therapies
- Crisis intervention
- Gas cards
- School supplies
- Backpacks
- Winter clothing
- Diapers
- Baby formula
- Hygiene supplies
- Therapy materials
- Sensory tools
- Comfort items
- Snacks
- Translation services
- Prevention education
- Community outreach
- Staff training
- Volunteer training
- Facility repairs
- Water heater
- HVAC repairs
- Plumbing repairs
- Technology support
- Internet access
- Safety equipment
- Security services
- Case management
- Parent support
- Educational materials
- Operating expenses
Donate here…
Prevention
Abuse prevention education improves community response to crimes against kids.
Interviews & Advocacy
Forensic interviews and Advocacy require training and staff time that lasts for months.
Maintenance
Our home in Lebanon, like any home, all sorts of things that need ongoing maintenance.
Urgent Supplies
We provide school supplies, clothing, hygiene items, and more for families in urgent need.
Frequently Asked Questions
We aggressively apply for state and federal grants. These grants are critical, but primarily support core services like our forensic interviews. But the costs for everything from the light bill to insurance to replacing the roof and long-term Advocacy support requires private donations. $60,000 helps us cover about six months of expenses and a short-list of maintenance needs around our home on Washington Street.
A large portion of our funding comes from Victims of Crime (VOCA) funds. This fund isn’t tax-supported. Instead, it’s funded by fees and fines placed levied by Courts against convicted offenders. For years this fund has required last-minute Congressional help because the number of organizations relying on it keeps increasing. We’re trying to preserve service without having to constantly rely on this annual will-it-or-won’t-it fund.
Our administrative costs are low, at around 10% of our annual $350,000 budget, unless you consider things like electricity, water, bookkeeping, a mortgage, and insurance administrative. These expenses are necessary and rarely covered by any private or public grant.
A donation or grant that established a recurring annual revenue stream of about $200,000 from interest or other dividends would change everything for the CAC. Inflation would, over time, erode some of that impact long-term, but combined with some grants would dramatically improve our ability to pay our staff competitive wages and provide health coverage.
Short-term, we would prioritize facility maintenance and replacement for things like our furnace, HVAC, roof, and the removal of an old outbuilding in our backyard, as well was a small fund for future supplies families often need after escaping dangerous or abusive situations, such as clothes, food, gas cards, backpacks, and school supplies.
