(CACAC)

By rdnewsNOW Staff

One-Day Challenge April 20

CACAC building its future Brick by Brick with latest fundraising initiative

Apr 13, 2023 | 4:25 PM

The Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre (CACAC) is inviting you to help build the future for victims of child abuse – Brick by Brick.

Officials with the organization say the Brick by Brick fundraiser is part of the CACAC’s Public Building Campaign, which aims to raise much-needed funds for the new Centre of Excellence.

At participating businesses across central Alberta, the public is invited to purchase brick keychains. Alternatively, if you can’t make it to a physical location, the CACAC is also selling digital brick certificates online. Officials say 100 per cent of the proceeds from keychains and digital bricks will go to the new Centre of Excellence as part of the public building campaign.

The organization is also holding a One Day Challenge Phone-a-Thon event at Bo’s Bar and Stage on April 20, where the public can purchase keychains or digital brick certificates. The CACAC says it will be displaying a model of the Centre of Excellence made completely out of LEGO for public viewing at the event. Along with the keychains, there will also be lunch specials at Bo’s Bar and Stage, and prize packs that keychain purchasers can be entered into.

“This month we’re encouraging everyone to purchase their brick, either online or at one of our many participating locations,” says Jennifer O’Shea, Campaign Director at the CACAC. “We’re so excited that more and more businesses are coming onboard as keychain locations. It’s very heartwarming to see the community come together time and time again for the children of Central Alberta. You can find a full list of participating locations on our website.”

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“It has been a long-time dream of ours to do a LEGO-themed or block-themed fundraiser or drive of some kind,” adds O’Shea. “When we talk about building the future for victims of child abuse, neglect, and sexual exploitation, we know that it takes the whole community. One brick on its own doesn’t build anything, but when everyone contributes their brick, we can build something great. In this way, you’re literally helping us build the Centre of Excellence by supporting our Brick by Brick fundraiser.”

Of the $12 million that the CACAC needs to raise for the Centre of Excellence building campaign, officials say they’re currently just under $8.5 million. The organization says they’re hoping this fundraiser, along with the One Day Challenge and future events will help put them over the top.

“We’ve seen hard evidence that the need is growing, and the Centre of Excellence is our best way of meeting the need head-on,” says Dylan Rambow, Communications Coordinator of the CACAC, “Since going public with this building campaign in February we’ve seen an increase in donations. However, what we’ve also seen is a sharp increase in reporting of abusive situations, which has led to an increase of forensic interviews at our existing site.”

“We really need to get into our new space and utilize it to its full potential, as the demand is beginning to outpace our current Centre,” he continues. “The new Centre of Excellence is needed now more than ever before, which is why we’re hoping that the public will support our Brick by Brick initiative throughout April.”

Officials say the Centre of Excellence will be the new home for the CACAC, the Central Alberta Sexual Assault Support Centre, RCMP Child Forensic Interviewers, and Alberta Health Services: Red Deer Child and Youth Addiction and Mental Health Outpatient Clinic; Move your Mood Studio; and the Step Up Step Down live-in youth mental health program. Officials say this model of advocacy and recovery will be the first of its kind in North America, and will integrate with Red Deer Polytechnic by both being on their main campus in Red Deer, and by presenting unique learning opportunities while affecting certain curricula.

If your business would like to become a keychain location, please email campaign@centralalbertacac.ca.

For more information on the Brick by Brick fundraiser, as well as info on the Centre of Excellence and the CACAC, visit https://www.centralalbertacac.ca/brick-by-brick-fundraiser/.