Philadelphia Children's Alliance

All summer, we’ve been sharing tips for children and families to keep each other safe.

If you live in the Philadelphia area, you may have found some of our Summer Safety Bookmarks in public libraries across the city. Look out for the incredible artwork by a 9-year-old member of the PCA family.

We are so grateful for the partnership with Philly libraries and we love being able to share our message with a growing community.

Let us know if you spot -- or have spotted -- our bookmarks this month!

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Earlier this month, Benita Williams, our Executive Director, and Chris Kirchner, the Executive Director of Children’s Advocacy Centers of PA, had a letter in the Philly Inquirer urging us to pay attention to the Crime Victims Stabilization Act

Find out more about what’s going on with funding for children’s advocacy centers nationwide – and how you can help – by scrolling through and visiting philachildrensalliance.org/cvfsa

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Two of our forensic interviewers, Jillian Shainman and Carolina Castaño, are on their way back from Dallas, Texas after presenting at the annual Crimes Against Children Conference.

In addition to attending this incredibly important event with other members of our staff, Jillian and Carolina led two sessions on the challenges of language barriers in interviews and the impact that these challenges have on victims.

Three cheers to Jillian and Carolina for representing the work of PCA so well and for being incredible advocates for our work!

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Philadelphia Children’s Alliance is a really special place.

There is not a day that goes by that we take the power of what we do for granted and each year we take a week in August to appreciate our exceptional staff who do the hard work that changes children’s lives.

Last Friday, our team hit the green at Top Golf to round out Staff Appreciation Week. It was an afternoon of fun, companionship, and celebration. We honored the 3-year anniversary of our Executive Director, Benita Williams, teamed up for games, improved our swings, enjoyed raffle prizes and delicious food – what could be better!

Scroll through for more pics!

Let’s hear it for this incredible team, changing lives each and every day.

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Last week, the Philadelphia Inquirer published a joint piece from Chris Kirchner, the Executive Director of Children's Advocacy Centers of Pennsylvania and PCA’s Executive Director, Benita Williams. They discuss the current reality around major cuts to the Crime Victims Fund and what these cuts could mean for child advocacy centers, victims and their families.

Read it here: https://www.philachildrensalliance.org/philly-inquirer-2024

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It’s easy for children to just say "yes" or "no" to our questions, so it is important for caregivers and parents to give prompts that require bigger answers.

Open-ended questions let children know that adults care and are interested in them, which creates a safe space to talk about things that could be challenging or uncomfortable.

Visit our summer safety page at www.philachildrensalliance.org/summer-safety for more tips and resources.


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Yesterday, we were at Fairmount Park with 27 amazing companies from the Greater Philadelphia Insurance Community. They gathered for their annual charity tournament — a day full of fun competition that raised $70,000 to support Philadelphia Children's Alliance's mission!

We're grateful to Tom Caputo for leading the charge and to everyone for participating! PCA has been a proud recipient of the league’s generosity since 2011.

Check out just some of our favorite photos!

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PCA is excited to announce that Joseph D Culley, Jr is our new Board President!

Joe has been an extraordinary ambassador of PCA ever since he learned about the organization in 2018. He has served on our Board of Directors since 2019 and held the position of Vice President from 2021-2024. Joe and his wife Kelly also chaired the 2021 Bear Affair.

Culley is the Head of the Capital Markets Group at Janney Montgomery Scott and a member of the firm’s Executive Leadership Team.

Joe also currently sits on the Endowment Board for St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, Whitemarsh. Previously, he dedicated 10 years to the Board at the Mann Center for Performing Arts in historic Fairmount Park and also served on the Board for the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

We look forward to Joe’s leadership and the many ways in which he will continue to uplift and guide our mission and our service.

Philadelphia Children's Alliance Announces New Board President, Joseph D. Culley, Jr Philadelphia Children's Alliance (PCA), the city's only child advocacy center for victims of child s*xual abuse, announces their new Board President, Joseph D....

Children are more likely to share hard things when adults, children, and their environments are calm. When you can, ask hard questions during easy times.

Visit our summer safety page at www.philachildrensalliance.org/summer-safety for more tips and resources.





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The children PCA serves are so much more than the experiences that lead them here.

“Into the Clouds” was created by a young artist. In it we see joy, hope, and most importantly — the promise of better days.

Learn more about how we support children to be all the deserve to be at philachildrensalliance.org

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Having a "family code word" creates an extra level of safety for children who are out of the house this summer.

Pick an easy to remember word that children can use in unsafe situations without telling you all the details.

Visit our summer safety page at www.philachildrensalliance.org/summer-safety for more tips and resources.





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Establishing consistent routines -- no matter how small -- makes a huge difference for families in the summer.

From morning rituals to pick-up times and bedtimes, routines create reliability and trust and can help keep children safe and happy.

Visit our summer safety page at philachildrensalliance.org/summer-safety for more tips and resources.

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Our office is closed today in honor of Independence Day.

Even when we aren't open, PCA always has a team in place to respond to emergency situations.

Have fun and stay safe.

School often creates a structure and routine that helps keep children safe.

In the summer, it’s important that families create other ways to make daily schedules and agreed upon check in times, so everyone can stay aware and accountable for each other.

Visit our summer safety page at philachildrensalliance.org/summer-safety for more tips!

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On Tuesday, Benita Williams, our Executive Director, Vickie Melvin, our Associate Director, and Amy Leach, our Director of Development, joined Board member Jimmy Chavous and his family at Not Your Average Joe’s in Glen Mills, PA.

All month, this location of Not Your Average Joe’s has donated part of their Tuesday proceeds in support of PCA’s mission to end child s*x abuse in Philadelphia.

Thank you to Jimmy and the whole team at Not Your Average Joe's for the generous support and the excellent meal!

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Happy Summer, Philadelphia! Schools are out, the days are hot, and kids across the city are exploring new places and spending more time with friends.

Creating an emergency safety plan is one of the first things that we encourage all families to do. No matter where they are, make sure that your children know who they can rely on and how to find them.

For tips, visit our summer safety page at philachildrensalliance.org/summer-safety

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Although PCA always has a team in place to respond to emergency situations, our office was closed today in honor of Juneteenth, a day marking the end of slavery in the US.

Learn more about the history of Juneteenth in Philly at juneteenthphilly.org

Last night was a homerun, as we celebrated the kickoff of Summer Softball season with the Greater Philadelphia Insurance Industry at Paddy Whacks Pub - South Street.

We are so grateful to be the recipients of their generosity for another year and can’t wait to cheer on the teams at the 2024 tournament on August 1.

From all of us at PCA and all the children and families whose healing you make possible, thank you to everyone who participates in this great event.


Pictured here are: Jacob Smith (PCA), Tom Caputo (CHUBB), Alicia Kradzinski (AON), Francis Smythe (CHUBB), TJ Chukwueke (Mercer), and Amy Leach (PCA)

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At PCA, we support every child and every family who comes through our doors.

This month (and all year long) we celebrate our LGBTQIA+ community and are grateful for the immeasurable beauty they create in Philadelphia.

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Our leadership team is back from the 2024 National Children’s Alliance Leadership Conference in Washington, DC! They connected with other professionals from child advocacy centers across the country, AND they got some incredible photos!

PCA advocated for change on Capitol Hill at Senator Fetterman’s and Senator Casey’s offices. We coordinated with peers to better serve our children and their families. Our very own Vickie Melvin and Nuria Orsino shared the remarkable impact of our mental health partnerships and outreach with attendees. It was time well spent to amplify the voices of survivors and their families and share challenges and successes, new research, and evolving practices.

Thank you, pecial shoutout to and for engaging in conversation with us around the role that our elected officials play in helping their constituents survive and prevent child s*x abuse.

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The children we serve are far more than the trauma that brings them through our doors.

They are storytellers, adventurers, sports stars, champions, and artists. Part of our jobs are to make sure that they have the support to stay those things, even in the darkest moments.

This summer, keep an eye out for our “Artist Spotlight” series.

While you won’t learn the details you may be used to learning about artists, we know you’ll feel their spirit, life, and courage through the art they share with us – just like we do.

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This week, members of our team are in Washington, DC for the National Children's Alliance 2024 Leadership Conference.

Our own Vickie Melvin and Nuria Orsino will be presenting on the impact of linkage agreements with outside agencies and our strategic Mental Health Outreach Program.

We are so grateful to a part of this incredible community of advocates! If you see us there, please say hello!

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There's still time to register for our virtual workshop "Healing Your Inner Child: Parenting after Child Sexual Abuse as A Survivor," next Wednesday, June 5, 2024 at 12:30pm.

Sign up here: tinyurl.com/PCAInnerChild

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May is National Asian Pacific American (AAPI) Heritage Month, so we wanted to make space to honor the important role this community plays in our city and our world.

You can learn more about AAPI culture in Philadelphia by visiting special attractions and displays at the National Constitution Center, The Franklin Institute, the Asian Arts Initiative, and more.

To learn more about Philadelphia Specific AAPI events, go to visitphilly.com

To explore the beauty and culture of AAPI heritage, visit asianpacificheritage.gov

Founded in 2014, Dare to Imagine Church (D2I) is an innovative and inspirational community, led by Pastor Kevin Johnson. D2I is a pillar of the Mt. Airy neighborhood, supporting the growth, spirituality, and joy of their members and our city.

We are incredibly proud to call D2I a Prevention Partner. From hosting our nationally acclaimed Stewards of Children® training to participating in our holiday toy drive and more, their commitment to help children thrive and grow is immeasurable.

Thank you, D2I, for all you do.

For more about D2I, follow them or visit their website at d2ic.org

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Starting with the very first intake call to a child-friendly forensic interview, on-site medical exam, mental health services, caregiver support and court accompaniment, the Philadelphia Children’s Alliance team and community are true partners in a child’s healing journey. ��

Find out more on our site at philachildrensalliance.org

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Sign up for our virtual workshop "Healing Your Inner Child: Parenting after Child Sexual Abuse as A Survivor," on Wednesday, June 5, 2024 at 12:30pm.

This virtual workshop aims to create a space for parent survivors who may be triggered while helping their child cope with their child’s s*xual abuse disclosure. Participants will learn how to activate their coping skills by learning tips to heal their inner child.

Registration is free and available online at tinyurl.com/PCAInnerChild

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Thank you to our corporate and foundation sponsors, who join with us to support the most vulnerable children in Philadelphia.

We are so grateful for your commitment, which truly changes lives every day.

We can’t wait to see you next year!

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