Fall Philanthropy Report: Children’s Assessment Center Touts ‘Healing’ for Child Abuse Victims
Oct. 8, 2024
What is your mission? The Children’s Assessment Center (The CAC) provides healing services to over 6,300 child sexual abuse victims and their families each year. We offer forensic interviewing, family advocacy, mental health services, medical care, and court services at no cost. We facilitate community outreach and prevention training to raise awareness about child abuse in our community and how to keep children safe. Last year, we provided prevention training to over 35,000 community members, including 23,500 children in schools.
Why did you launch the organization? The CAC is the only child advocacy center in Harris County and one of the largest nationwide. Sadly, before the implementation of advocacy centers, there was not a streamlined process for children. Victims of sexual abuse were often interviewed multiple times by various law enforcement, medical professionals, and mental health clinicians. Here at The CAC, we know that having to recount abuse several times can be retraumatizing, and we sought to find a solution to make a trauma-informed process.
The goal of The CAC is to provide all the services, partners, and resources families need in one place. We collaborate with hundreds of professionals from 60 Partner Agencies (e.g., law enforcement, medical and mental health professionals, nonprofits, and governmental investigative entities) to coordinate investigations, provide services, and protect children. Our hope is that our process will give children the tools necessary to empower them on their healing journey.
How have you impacted the community? Our work is guided by the belief that all children in our community deserve to grow up safe, happy, and healthy. We work to empower children’s healing journeys, restore hope in families, and provide support to avoid long-term trauma. The CAC exists to help our community become a better, safer place for each child of Harris County.
Tell us about your big event. We will host our annual Spirit of Spring Gala to celebrate The Children’s Assessment Center Foundation’s 30th anniversary. We are thrilled to invite community members who have helped us make a lasting impact on child sexual abuse survivors, their families, and our community. We look forward to commemorating the 30th year on April 11, 2025, at The Houstonian Hotel.
How can I help? As adults, it is our responsibility to keep children safe. Your generosity can help empower families on their healing journey and protect vulnerable children. Please consider how you can be part of the solution to end child sexual abuse. Go to our website, cachouston.org, to learn how to donate, volunteer, and protect children in our community.
We exist to protect children, heal families, and prevent child sexual abuse and child sex trafficking in our community.
Keep Reading
Show less
RICE VILLAGE JUST got a whole lot tastier.
On Wednesday, May 21st, Hudson House — the latest outpost from Vandelay Hospitality Group and its visionary Founder & CEO, Hunter Pond — opens between CB2 and Banana Republic. This marks the second Houston location for the upscale American eatery, following the success of its River Oaks sibling.
The 6,077-square-foot restaurant brings an East Coast sensibility with a distinctly Texan soul to one of the city’s most iconic neighborhoods. Think: oysters flown in daily, buttery lobster rolls, cheeseburgers with a cult following, and a surprising sushi menu.
Shaken or stirred, Hudson House’s bar delivers with its famous “World’s Coldest Martinis,” Frozen Bellinis, Spicy Mexican Margaritas, and a curated wine list. Don’t sleep on dessert—the key lime pie and chocolate silk pie are worth the trip alone.
“We’re looking forward to bringing a second Hudson House to Houston,” says Pond, the Dallas-based restaurateur whose bold, style-forward concepts have made Vandelay Hospitality Group a force in the Texas dining scene. “Rice Village offers an ideal background for our beloved coastal-inspired American cuisine.”
Open daily for lunch and dinner, Hudson House also offers a can’t-miss happy hour from 3–6 p.m. on weekdays, ideal for post-shopping cocktails.
Keep Reading
Show less
Houston Ballet dancers Danbi Kim, Estheysis Menendez, Gian Carlo Perez, and Chase O'Connell
IT WAS AN evening of style, flavor and celebration as guests filled Caracol for Houston Ballet’s signature spring event, Raising the Barre. Co-chaired by Duyen & Marc Nguyen and Dr. Tatiana Sorkin & Michel Coret, the dinner brought together 160 supporters and raised $110,000 for the Ballet’s performances, education programs and artistic initiatives.
The menu was created by four of the city's top chefs alongside Houston Ballet dancers. Chef Aaron Bludorn and Soloist Danbi Kim opened the night with sesame-crusted Hamachi, inspired by flavors from Kim’s Korean upbringing. Chef Chris Williams and Demi Soloist Estheysis Menendez followed with a rich lobster stew, layered with jalapeño pesto and plantain fufu — a nod to her mother's love of fresh ingredients.
For the main course, Chef Hugo Ortega and Principal Chase O’Connell delivered a smoky Coulotte steak with pasilla mole, inspired by O’Connell’s pre-show steak tradition. Dessert came courtesy of Fluff Bake Bar’s Rebecca Masson and First Soloist Gian Carlo Perez: guava pastries with cream cheese ice cream and a drizzle of honey, reminiscent of Perez’s favorite childhood treat.
Florals by Bergner and Johnson played up the spring party vibe with coral, peach, and pink blossoms, later donated to nonprofit Bloom Again for use in hospitals and care centers.
Guests included Beth Muecke, Patti Murphy, Kristy Bradshaw, Lindsey Brown, Anne and Albert Chao, Jo Furr, Carey Kirkpatrick, Phoebe Tudor and Whitney Lawson.
Ada Agbor and Zoe Cadore
Anne and Albert Chao
Anya and Jeremy Smith, Julie Kent
Bill and Lenni Burke
Chef Hugo Ortega
Michel Coret and Dr. Tatiana Sorkin, Duyen and Marc Nguyen
Denise and Todd Liebl
Edward and Deborah Koehler, Angela Oh and Pekka Kauranen
Ileana and Michael Treviño
Jo Furr and C.C. Conner
Kristy Bradshaw, Jim Nelson, Kelley Lubanko
Shawn Stephens and Jim Jordan
Keep Reading
Show less