Dear Friends,
As the year comes to an end, we at Susie’s Place take time to reflect on the past 365 days. This year, we have taken the time to not just adjust to the new normal of our work and of the world, but we have taken time to reflect on what our normal has looked like for the past 12 years. We examined, not only on the good work that we have done, but the hard work that remains.
Through our reflection, the first thing that we considered is the support. You, one of our strongest supporters, are steadfast in your commitment to Susie’s Place and the children we serve. We appreciate you more than you can know. We have received nearly $3,000,000 in support from our community since we opened our doors in 2009. Those dollars have allowed us to:
- expand into three locations
- provide forensic interviews to over 12,700 reported child victims of crime
- enable the healing process by assisting over 11,000 supportive caregivers find resources
- educate over 100,000 students in Child and Teen Safety Matters
While we celebrate all those successes, the need is still growing and the weight of that need is heavy. As we move forward into 2022, we ask that you step in to help us step up to the next level. Here is our pledge moving forward:
- We will step up our services by creating a new program that supports reported child victims as the cases against their reported abuser move through every step of the process.
- We will step up our education and outreach programs to include curriculum for special needs classes across the state.
- We will step up our operations by completing the national accreditation process in each of our three centers.
The bottom line is… WE WILL STEP UP.
We ask that you, as our strongest friends and supporters, step up with us. With you, we can enter into a whole new era of prevention, intervention, and healing for reported child victims of crime and their caregivers. Will you step up with us?
With gratitude,
Emily E. Perry, MSW LSW
Founder/Executive Director
We’re on a mission to serve every child in need
Another record-breaking year
Susie’s Place served 1,270 children and families in 2020. 2021 has shown the need remains extremely high, with an estimated 1,500 visiting us by the end of this year.
Close ties with local partners
Each of our centers in Avon, Bloomington, and Terre Haute serve a huge geographic area of 30+ west-central Indiana counties. We’re proud to work alongside local physicians, mental health professionals, prosecutors, law enforcement, and caseworkers.
Education and outreach
Susie’s Place is committed to spreading evidence-based body safety training to west-central school corporations. This year, our educators are working with over 38,000 students in 85 k-12 schools. Over 210 youth-serving adults have been trained on spotting signs of child sexual abuse.
Focused on all victims
The Child and Family Advocacy program recognizes that the child victims are not the only victims when crimes against children are committed. Our advocates provide resources to supportive caregivers to facilitate healing for the entire family.
Step up for all victims of child abuse
We’re ready to step up to what’s next—new support services for victims of child abuse, more prevention education in area schools, and national accreditation of all three of our centers.
Your support will help lift Susie’s Place to the next level of child maltreatment response and prevention. Your help ensures we remain the very best place for kids to to share their experiences and heal after reported abuse, neglect, and trauma.
Donate before December 31, 2021 for a complimentary Susie’s Place holiday ornament.
A donation to Susie’s Place is a wonderful way to honor your loved ones, teachers, friends, and more. Make a donation with their address and we will send them a notification that a donation was made in their honor with a lovely Susie’s Place keepsake ornament.
Serving over 12,000 children in the last 12 years
Susie’s Place serves hundreds of cases each year. Across all three locations, Susie’s Place has served over 12,000 children in the last twelve years.
We never stopped working during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns in 2020. But because more children were home and away from safe, trusted adults at school, church, and the community reported instances of abuse to 911 and the Indiana Child Abuse hotline declined sharply.
Susie’s Place stepped up by providing online training for educators and community members to spot the signs of abuse. As lockdowns ended and schools reopened in early 2021, reports began increasing.