MCAP Update

MCAP UPDATE

By Mary C. Pugh, Esq., Executive Director, MCAP

It is hard to believe that it has been more than two full years since we gathered. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the surge of alarming violence, social and political unrest, the mission. This past Spring, MCAP hosted live events to raise awareness about child abuse in our ongoing effort to reduce and prevent child abuse in all of its mandates for remote learning and working, and food insecurity combined to form the “perfect storm” for individuals, families, communities, organizations, and governments—everyone. We all have experienced trauma, fear, mourning, changes, and challenges. Likewise, MCAP has experienced the impact of the perfect storm. In 2021, our MCAP advocates served over 750 children in 536 cases, an 18% increase in the number of cases from 2019 and the most children and cases MCAP has served in its history. Moreover, the fall-out of the pandemic seriously decreased the number of available MCAP pro bono volunteer lawyers. With hard work and dedication, the MCAP staff attorneys and pro bono volunteers served all of the referrals in 2021. Significantly, our lawyer advocates are the heart and soul of MCAP; their time and dedication to the children of Montgomery County are essential to giving abused and neglected children back their voices. To maintain our representation of abused and neglected children in the legal arenas, we ask you to consider volunteering or recruit a friend to volunteer. If you are an attorney and would like to become an MCAP volunteer, learn more about advocacy, or sign up for our mailing list to learn about future CLEs, email MCAP’s senior staff attorney, Sharon Jones Hofer, at shofer@mcapkids.org. Thank you for your participation and support for the many activities associated with National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Since 1983, this annual observance encouraged communities to rededicate themselves to supporting families and playing an active role in preventing child abuse and neglect. At MCAP, this is our perpetual goal, but in April we host activities and events to engage the Montgomery County community in our insidious forms. Thank you for your support and participation in Wear Blue on the Steps, the MCAP Appreciation lunch, and MCAP at Elmwood Zoo. Together we help abused, neglected, and trafficked children to reclaim their childhood, overcome trauma, and learn to trust and hope. As stakeholders, volunteers, donors, and supporters for MCAP, we thank you for your support, participation, and presence in promoting our work. We are excited to host our LIVE 34th Annual Run for the Hill of It! Time to use your SUPERHERO powers to lace up your sneakers and join us LIVE for the Run for the Hill of It SUPERHERO Run on July 30, 2022. This event will take place in Fairmount Park at Northwestern Avenue and Forbidden Drive in Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania. Register TODAY at www.runtheday.com or www.mcapkids.org Bring your family and friends as it will be a blast for everyone. There is also a 1-mile FUN RUN for kids and a 1-mile walk. Organize a TEAM for loads of fun. As an added benefit, all proceeds go to helping abused and neglected kids overcome the pain and horrors of physical and emotional abuse. We look forward to seeing you there! SAVE the date for our MCAP Salute to Heroes Dinner, Dance and Auction live on November 12, 2022, at 6:00pm at the Sheraton Valley Forge. Details to follow. As always, we welcome your support and interest. Feel free to visit us at www.mcapkids.org or call the office at 610-279-1219. Thanks so much for all you do!

Montgomery Child Advocacy Project’s (MCAP) mission is to end and prevent child abuse and neglect in Montgomery County through legal services, advocacy, and education. MCAP operates as a pro-bono model with 140+ professional attorneys (trained by MCAP) on our roster who donate approximately 8,000 hours to our child clients’ cases each year. Since our founding in 2004, MCAP has provided free legal services for more than 6,200 children. To learn more please see our website at www.mcapkids.org.