I am a board member of the Child Advocacy Center because as a pediatrician I see the immediate and long term effects of child abuse.  The pandemic has made it more challenging for kids in abuse situations.   They may have been at home more often where the abuse was happening or have been watched by someone who is abusing them while their parent worked.    During the pandemic teachers and daycare workers haven’t interacted with children as often so they haven’t been able to report the abuse.  Child abuse is very destructive to our community.   The Child Advocacy Center provides services such as Child at Risk Exams, Sexual Assault Forensic Exams and Forensic Interviews. These services allow a child the chance to tell their story, have an exam in a child friendly atmosphere, and begin a pathway toward healing.  Please consider making a donation through justgiving.com to the Child Advocacy Center so they can continue to provide critical services to the vulnerable children in our community.