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Sintia Salazar, senior in social work, chose to focus her senior project on the Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC). The CAC is a non-profit organization that provides a safe space where children can be interviewed regarding cases of abuse, specifically sexual abuse, but also physical abuse and situations where a child may have witnessed a violent act.
Salazar will hold a tamale sale Friday, Nov. 20 and in return asks that people donate to the CAC. Donations can be made through Salazar’s Venmo which is @Sintia-Salazar-1.
“The reason I decided to raise money for the Children’s Advocacy Center is because children should not have to suffer nor does anyone in this world,” Salazar said. “As a first-time mother I see my son and would never want him to be harmed. So, he motivated me to advocate for those children who need their voices to be heard.”
The CAC relies on support for the community such as grant and fundraisers but also monetary donations and donations for children such as crayons, coloring books, bags, journals and more.
“As cliché as it sounds, I have always wanted to make an impact in the lives of others, I never thought of it as a way to get recognized by others,” Salazar said. “But having the satisfaction of knowing I made a difference in someone else’s life will be the best reward I could receive.”
Salazar will stop collecting donations on Monday, Nov. 30.
“The reason I chose tamales is because they are delicious, and everyone likes them,” Salazar said. “Tamales are pretty popular in this town. Everyone always tends to purchase them here and always ask when the next tamale sale will be.”
Donations made to the CAC have an impact on the children and for Salazar knowing that she helped make a difference in a child’s life is part of the reason she is collecting donations for the CAC.
“This project is important to me because I know I will be a part of something greater,” Salazar said. “By doing this I am letting these children know that they matter, that they are important, that they are being heard and most importantly they are so loved.”
The CAC’s website can be found at https://www.cacpittsburg.org/.
“If people… (cannot) help through monetary donations.., they can go to their (the CAC’s) website and see the items they have on their wish list or also just support them by speaking about what the CAC is and what they do,” Salazar said.
Salazar hopes to raise $600 which will all be given to the CAC.
“My goal is to raise awareness about what child abuse is and by doing so this project has been a great way to do so,” Salazar said. “I want to… help these children through such traumatizing circumstances. Of course, money… (cannot) buy happiness but by keeping the CAC up and running it will help those children that arrive there feel that there are people who still care for them and support them.”
Children at the CAC have dealt with some form of abuse and Salazar wants them to find comfort and support in the community.
“This project has given me an… (entirely) different perspective and view of seeing things,” Salazar said. “As a community, we need to come together and nurture these children and provide them with the help they need to overcome any trauma. Everyone deserves to be loved, and these children need our love and support…”
For more information, check out the Facebook page for the event at https://fb.me/e/3CSaNlt0l.
