The West Texas Children’s Advocacy Center, Inc., (WTCAC) conducts interviews, as requested by law enforcement personnel, with children who are victims of alleged crimes or abuse.
The WTCAC serves Scurry, Borden, Fisher, Mitchell and Nolan counties.
According to Executive Director Kelsey Zimmerman, of Sweetwater, WTCAC uses United Way campaign funds for operating expenses and personnel costs in the Snyder office.
“They have been our biggest supporter,” Zimmerman said of the United Way campaign. “They understand what we try to do for these kids.”
WTCAC benefits Scurry County residents by providing child forensic interviews, crisis intervention, victim advocacy and counseling, child education prevention programs, child abuse education for adults and facilitation of the multi-disciplinary team meetings.
The WTCAC also conducts presentations in schools to raise awareness of child abuse.
Last year, 45 school presentations were conducted reaching a total of 1,534 children, Zimmerman said.
To help deliver the services the center provides for families, there is a full-time family advocate present in the Snyder office, which is located at 1907 40th Street.
“Because our main office is in Nolan County, we don’t get a lot of donations to our office in Scurry County,” Zimmerman said. “But United Way has helped us a lot and we’re very grateful for that.”
During 2014-15, of the 360 children who received services, 125 of them were from Scurry County. Agency personnel conducted 261 interviews, a slight decrease from the previous year’s 302.
Zimmerman also said United Way helps the center put on free events like the Angel Tree, in which families in need receive clothing and other goods they might not otherwise be able to afford.
“We also help out at Back to School Bash, where we give out school supplies to people who maybe cannot afford them,” Zimmerman said.
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