2019 Annual Report

Dear CARE Center supporters and friends,

2019 started with excitement and promise as we officially launched our capital campaign at The CARE Center. As we all know, our plans took a backseat to the devastation of COVID-19. If 2020 has taught us anything, it is gratitude for our friends, family, and supporters just like you. It is important to celebrate our successes and even challenges. Some notable highlights from the last year include:

  • Welcoming Oklahoma First Lady Sarah Stitt to the CARE family as an honorary board member.
  • ROAR, our child-based education program earning national recognition, receiving the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award.
  • Receiving an endorsement by Erin Merryn of Erin’s Law for ROAR as ROAR continues significant growth, educating more than 27,000 children on body safety and empowerment since the program’s inception in 2017.
  • Launching our Young Professionals Board with 22 members.
  • Continuing efforts to become the most inclusive and culturally sensitive agency possible through new partnerships with local and national LGBTQ2S+ organizations.
 
  • Being named Edmond North’s 2019 BALTO beneficiary with the funds serving as the catalyst for our capital campaign. We broke ground on our long- anticipated expansion project this summer and look forward to its completion in Winter 2021.
  • Expanding our trauma-informed mental health services with a 59% increase in referrals in just one year.
  • Increasing our commitment to diversity and inclusion with diversification of staff including more bilingual representation, integrating and translating materials, and establishing a working committee charged with examining our organization from the inside-out.

The work we do is extremely difficult, but child abuse happens and our services are critical to aid in the investigations and to bring healing to so many children and families. Child abuse happens, and our services are critical to aid in the investigations and to bring healing to so many children and families.

We will remain unrelenting in our efforts to serve innocent victims and steadfast in our vision of ending child abuse through education. Alongside a devoted staff and the incredible leadership of our Board of Directors and Advisory Board, I will continue the fight against child abuse in Oklahoma County.

On behalf of the 14,697 brave children served in 2019, thank you for your support. Be bold and stay with us on this journey because together, we can end child abuse.

Stacy McNeiland
Chief Executive Officer & Founder of ROAR

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