Live United: Lee County agencies gearing up for Child Abuse Awareness Month

United Way of Lee County was busy in January hosting our annual trivia night.

This year’s theme was “Back to the ‘90s.” The event was held at the Post House Ballroom, and there were 21 teams that participated.

The event was emceed by Sam Ramirez, and participants enjoyed four rounds of ‘90s trivia. All of the dollars raised directly benefit United Way of Lee County and help support our 29 partner agencies and United Way programming.

We want to give a special thanks to Sam Ramirez, the Lee County Board Association, the Post House Ballroom, Long Shots Photography, Lil Smoked and Casey’s for all of their support of the event.

In the end, the Dixonaries ended up winning the tournament after a close tie-breaker ensued. Thank you so much to all of the teams that participated.

Money that we raise through our campaign and events helps support 29 of our partner agencies and programs that they run. We want to highlight a partner agency in each of our columns to also help raise awareness of what they do in the community. This month, we want to feature Shining Star Children’s Advocacy Center.

Shining Star Children’s Advocacy Center is a 503(c)(1) nonprofit organization founded in 2002 with the purpose of providing a child-friendly and safe environment for children to be interviewed and share their story regarding allegations of abuse.

Shining Star CAC uses a multidisciplinary team approach and works with law enforcement, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, prosecutors, medical providers, advocates and mental health professionals on investigations involving allegations of severe physical abuse, sexual abuse and witnesses to violent crimes.

Shining Star CAC serves children and families in Ogle and Lee counties. Shining Star CAC has an office in Dixon and a counseling office in Oregon.

The mission of Shining Star CAC is to transform victims of child abuse into survivors. This mission is upheld by providing services to children ages 3 to 18 and adults with disabilities. Services provided by Shining Star CAC are child forensic interviews, mental health services, specialized medical exams, advocacy, community education and professional development for multidisciplinary team members.

All services provided to clients are free. Services are funded by state and local grants, United Way, fundraisers and generous donations from the community.

The vision of Shining Star CAC is to reduce the trauma of child abuse through identification, offender accountability, advocacy, counseling and education on the path to eliminating child abuse. Shining Star CAC embraces the core values of teamwork, confidentiality, compassion, dignity, empowerment and hope.

Additional information on Shining Star CAC can be found at www.shiningstarac.org or by calling 815-284-1891.

Child Abuse Awareness Month is April. Shining Star will be hosting its annual monthlong “Jail and Bail” fundraising event and “Hands Around the Court” at the Old Lee County Courthouse on April 19 as a way to promote child abuse awareness in the community.

Additional future events can be found on the Facebook page “Shining Star Children’s Advocacy Center.”

Mark your calendars for our upcoming 2-1-1 Day

Sunday, Feb. 11, marks 2-1-1 Day, a day dedicated to recognizing the helpline provided by United Way.

2-1-1 has been connecting people to vital services in our communities for years.

National 2-1-1 Day, celebrated annually on Feb. 11, highlights the significance of this service. Serving residents of Whiteside and Lee counties, 2-1-1 operates 24/7, providing access to essential health and human services by text, online and over the phone.

United Way of Lee County and United Way of Whiteside County maintain an extensive database of health and human services in the Sauk Valley area. Highly trained contact specialists are available every day to assist callers with issues including food insecurity, housing crises, homelessness, mental health and substance use.

With a database featuring more than 1,000 programs and services, 2-1-1 is the go-to resource for Sauk Valley residents seeking assistance.

Beyond the 2-1-1 phone number, the 2-1-1 website at findhelp211.org is updated with advanced search features, making it even easier for community members to find resources.

Texting also is an option; simply text 898-211 to reach 2-1-1 support specialists.

UWWC, UWLC and Culver’s are joining forces to celebrate 2-1-1 Day on Feb. 11. Visit Culver’s in Rock Falls or Dixon for special $2.11 concrete mixers or cheese curds, and remember to call 2-1-1 when social services help is needed.

Ashley Richter is the executive director at United Way of Lee County.