Westar pledges $50,000 to Child Advocacy Center

Officials announced Friday that the Child Advocacy Center of Sedgwick County has received a $50,000 pledge from Westar Energy, which will help the center open a new facility to serve abused children.

Also, in the past week, the Child Advocacy Center has received $40,000 in other pledges, said CAC executive director Diana Schunn. The pledges will help the CAC raise $425,000 by Dec. 15 as part of its capital campaign for the new facility.

The officials announced the Westar contribution Friday afternoon at the site of the future center, in the former Lincoln Elementary School near Lincoln and Emporia.

Don Sherman, vice president for community relations and strategic partnerships at Westar, said in a statement: “As with any organization that comes before us, we look at their leadership and see if they have a plan. The CAC has both and we’re very excited to partner with them on their mission to transform this location. It’s going to be a life-changing event for our kids.”

The new facility will allow the center to put all the children’s needs – including medical care, counseling and investigation – in one place. Last year, the CAC served 1,839 children.

The CAC is now housed in the basement of the State Office Building downtown, which means child victims have to go to the same place – and use the same bank of elevators – where their offenders go to be interviewed by investigators. The new facility will have separate entrances, so victims won’t have to see the same people who might have hurt them, Schunn said.

The $425,000 must be raised by Dec. 15 to meet a $500,000 challenge grant. About $380,000 still needs to be raised toward that goal, Schunn said. Fundraising efforts have already raised more than half of the overall goal of $6.5 million.

People interested in contributing can contact Schunn at 316-660-9494.

A Heroes Gala will be held at the Scottish Rite Center on Nov. 1 as part of the general fundraising effort.

This story was originally published October 3, 2014 at 5:50 PM with the headline "Westar pledges $50,000 to Child Advocacy Center."