Submitted
The Child Advocacy Center of Anderson County has joined with CASA of the Tennessee Heartland and a private therapist (Sheila Marczak) to address a special need.
More than 400 children in Anderson County are removed from their homes each year due to abuse and neglect. We have found many of them do not have luggage (a carry-on or duffle bag) and must carry their belongings in a garbage bag. This is very humiliating to a child, and is happening at a time when these children are already so vulnerable. We are hoping to provide each child in shelter and foster care with a brand new carry-on (duffle bag, etc.), so that they will never have to move from one location to another with their personal items in trash bags.
To do this, we are creating a special collaborative effort called “Karry on 4 Kids”—area schools and agencies will be collecting new overnight bags that can be stored at the Child Advocacy Center in Clinton and distributed as necessary. Oak Ridge and Anderson County schools will be working on this drive from now until May 15. Oak Ridge drop-off schools include Jefferson Middle School and Robertsville Middle School. All Anderson County Schools are collection points.
Additional community drop-off locations include Girls Inc. of Oak Ridge, CAC, and CASA.
While this will become an ongoing effort, we would like to make a strong push over the next few weeks to create a supply of bags to begin consistently providing them for the hurting children who need them.
Please email questions and concerns to KarryOn4Kids@gmail.com.
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