Message from the Executive Director:
Nearly every day, I glance out my office window and catch a brief glimpse of a child being led up the sidewalk to our front steps:
At first, these children seem to lead happy, safe, and healthy lives. But those charming first impressions are heartbreakingly deceiving. Though I might at first chuckle at those brothers’ antics or smile at the sight of that small child with a parasol, my next thought inevitably follows:
The realization that each one of these girls and boys has been sexually or severely physically abused by someone in our community.
Despite appearances, these children are not coming down the sidewalk eager to visit a friend or family member. They are not on an outing in the park or playground. They are coming for help.
They are coming to talk about atrocities committed on them by strangers, by family members, by people who were supposed to be protecting them and caring for them. They are coming to learn how to cope with feelings of fear, anger, sadness, and betrayal. They are coming in the hopes of healing and becoming children again.
One third of the girls and boys we see are younger than six. Many were abused by parents, grandparents, step-parents, or siblings. The Children's Advocacy Center of Spartanburg helps these children and their families by providing the vital services discussed elsewhere on our website.
Thank you for visiting us here in cyberspace! If you are interested in volunteering or in making a difference through a donation, please feel free to contact me directly via email: bill@cacsp.org or by phone: (864) 515-9922 extension 101. We would be glad to show you around. We cannot accomplish our mission without the support of you and of the Upstate community.
Many thanks,
Bill Herrick, MSSW, Executive Director
