Glasgow accepts $10,000 for Children’s Advocacy Center donated by Joliet West students through Steelmen 5K Race fundraiser

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September 5

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow recently accepted a $10,000 contribution from faculty and students of Joliet West High School on behalf of the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center.

The money was raised by more than 600 participants in the annual Steelmen 5K Race held June 1 at the Chicagoland Speedway. The race was hosted by Joliet West High School’s Business Management and Information Systems Academy and co-chaired by teachers Brian Newman and Todd Cumming. The money was collected through registration fees and donations from area businesses.

“We are grateful to Joliet West’s Business Management and Information Systems Academy for choosing the Children’s Advocacy Center as the beneficiary of the money raised during the annual Steelmen 5K Race,” Glasgow said. “The funding provided by Joliet West High School will enable the center to continue its crucial mission of protecting vulnerable children in our local community by prosecuting sexual abusers.”

Glasgow founded the Children’s Advocacy Center in 1995 to improve the way cases of child sexual abuse are investigated and to limit the trauma to these young and vulnerable victims. 

“The students and staff in our academy read about the Children’s Advocacy Center and thought it would make a great local charity for our race,” 5K director and Joliet West teacher Brian Newman said. “After visiting the center, they really felt passionately about supporting it. With the turnout from participants and the donations from the community, it is obvious that others saw this as a worthy cause as well. We feel fortunate to know that we were able to help our community.”

The not-for-profit center’s professionally-trained staff interviews children who are the victims of sexual abuse in a non-threatening, non-suggestive environment. The children’s recorded statements have been used in the successful prosecution of literally hundreds of sexual predators in Will, Grundy and Kendall counties over the past 13 years. Last year, the center’s staff interviewed 350 children.

The Will County Children’s Advocacy Center is a 501-c-3 non-profit organization. The center relies on grants, local funding, foundations, and fund raisers to operate and fulfill its critical mission of protecting children. The center also is a member of both United Way of Will County and Grundy County.

For more information, contact The Will County Children’s Advocacy Center at (815) 774-4565, or visit the Web site at www.willcountychildrensadvocacy.org.