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About Us
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Child Advocacy is a non-profit agency with a mission to
improve the welfare of children and their families through education, training, and support for the prevention of substance abuse and child abuse and neglect.
Our Staff
Audra Stahl
Executive Director
Pam Mahin
Office Manager
Ty Warczinsky
GCSAC Coordinator
Sara Krebs
Coalition Coordinator
Richelle Davis
Prevention Educator
Michelle Zombeck
CASA Coordinator
CAC Coordinator
Nicole Showers
CAC Case Manager
Mallory Harrier
CAC Intake Coordinator
Staci Bigelow
Event/Volunteer Coordinator
Morgan Rooy
Board of Directors
President
Carolyn Studley
Community Represenative
Vice President
Matt Schooley
City of Alma Transportation
Secretary
Jennifer Stambaugh
DeafBlind Central
Treasurer
Sara Bonacci
Sara Bonacci Photography
Steve Benn
Detective/Sgt.
MI State Police
Wendy Currie
Mid MI District Health Dept
Colleen Davis
Prosecuting Attorney's Office
Jim Dubey
Garr Tool
Rob DuHadway
DuHadway Dance Dimensions
Tammy Halfmann
Mercantile Bank
David Justin
Alma School Board
Jennifer Leppien
CASA
John Morey
CPA
Mike Morris
Detective/Sgt. Gratiot Co. Sheriff's Dept.
Alison Morrison
Dept. of Health and Human Services
Jamie Richardson
Doehring Schultz Insurance Agency
Jennifer Siefker
Steve Vernon
Gratiot Co. Comm. Mental Health
Wes Wickes
Central MI Youth for Christ
Mark Williams
Detective/Sgt.
Alma Police Depart.
Joe Yourchock
Community Representative
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Did you know that at Child Advocacy we can install and provide a safety inspection for your child safety seat? Child Advocacy has a nationally certified safety seat technician available!
To make an appointment call
989-463-1422
or 800-552-4489
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Permanent Prescription Drug Drop Off
Site
Gratiot Co. Sheriff
226 E. Center
Ithaca
open 24 hrs./day
7 days/week
Alma Police Dept.
525 E. Superior St.
Hours
8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Monday - Friday
Breckenridge Police Dept.
104 E. Saginaw St.
Hours
8:00 a.m.- 5:00
p.m.
Monday - Friday
St. Louis Police Dept.
108 W. Saginaw St.
Hours
Mon. 7 - 3
Tues. - Fri. 8 - 4
These sites accept
prescription pills and patches.
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Program Needs
Gas Cards
to help cover the cost for medical travel to Grand Rapids or help with transportation of foster children.
Gift Cards to Walmart and Meijer to purchase the specific needs of a child.
Drawing Paper
Puzzles
New Children's Books
Play-dough
Games for younger children to play
Capri Sun Juice Box's
Bottled Water
Community donations help the quality of our programs and are greatly appreciated. Donations can be made directly at Child Advocacy or by contacting our office. (989) 463-1422
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Your Feedback!
"I want to pass onto whoever organized this event, that it was one of the best lectures, I have ever attended."
Dr. Fireman
Radiation Oncology Physician
after attenting Dr. Waller's presentation on addiction.
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Happy Thanksgiving!
This month is the fourth annual Trivia Night presented by CASA, we hope you will join us. Details and participant registration can be found below.
Also, learn more about Human Trafficking. We believe that being educated about such a crime, is the best way to protect your children.
We are excited to share that we have hired 3 new employees! You can read introductions from our new staff below.
Enjoy,
Child Advocacy Staff
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Upcoming Events
CASA Trivia Night
Saturday, November 19
Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Alma Elks Lodge #1400 - Alma
Click here for complete details or to print the participant registration form.
Contact Michelle Zombeck at (989) 463-1422 for more information on this event.
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Human Trafficking
By: Nicole Showers
CAC Case Manager
Slavery is often thought to be something of the past, but there are millions of people around the world that are trapped in a form of modern slavery. Human trafficking has become a global issue that influences people of all ages.
Traffickers use violence, threats, and other types of manipulation to force individuals to engage in commercial sex or to becoming laborers against their will. According to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center there have been 33 human trafficking cases reported in Michigan as of March 31, 2015. The state of Michigan has been striving to establish Human Trafficking Laws and provide victims with services.
Here are some interesting facts about human trafficking:
- The International Labor Organization estimates that there are 20.9 million victims of human trafficking globally.
68% of them are trapped in forced labor.
26% of them are children.
55% are women and girls.
- More than 27,000 total cases of human trafficking have been reported to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline in the last eight years.
- The International Labor Organization estimates that forced labor and human trafficking is a $150 billion industry worldwide.
- 26% of the world's trafficking victims are children. (Source: International Labor Organization)
- 1 in 6 U.S. runaways in 2014 were likely victims of child sex trafficking. (Source: National Center for Missing and Exploited Children)
To learn more about Human Trafficking including warning signs and ways to respond to victims, please follow the following link:
www.polarisproject.org
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Welcome Sara Krebs
Gratiot County Substance Abuse Coalition Coordinator
My name is Sara Krebs and I am excited to be working on the Child Advocacy team as the Gratiot County Substance Abuse Coalition Coordinator. I was born and raised in Gratiot County and am now raising my family here. I am thrilled to be back working in my hometown, as my previous position took me out of Gratiot County.
I graduated from Alma High School in 2001 and received my Bachelors of Science Degree in Exercise and Health Science with a minor in Public Health at Alma College in 2005. I have spent the last decade helping others make healthy and sustainable changes. I started my career as an Exercise Physiologist in Cardiac Rehabilitation, and went on to develop a multidisciplinary Medical Weight Management Program helping patients throughout Central Michigan. My passion for helping others live a healthy life has continued to grow over the years and I am looking forward to making a positive impact in the county that I have always called home. I feel honored to be a member of the Child Advocacy Team and am eager to see what this new venture holds.
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Welcome Morgan Rooy
Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention Coordinator
Hello! My name is Morgan Rooy and I am the new Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Coordinator. I am beyond thrilled to be part of Child Advocacy once again, as I was an intern with the agency in 2010. That initial experience molded my career path into many fulfilling experiences and exciting opportunities.
After graduating from Central Michigan University with a degree in Family Studies and Psychology, I worked for Big Brothers Big Sisters as an Enrollment and Match Support Specialist, and the YWCA as a Parent Educator and Program Coordinator. Some of my favorite experiences included running an after-school program for children, providing parent education to families, and designing and implementing programs for women, children, and parents in our communities.
Also, I am a Certified Family Life Educator and a Child Passenger Safety Technician. Currently, I am working on my master's degree from Western Michigan University and am on track to one day become a licensed social worker.
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Trivia Night
By: Michelle Zombeck
CASA Coordinator
Join CASA of Gratiot County for the 4th Annual Trivia Night fundraiser on Saturday, November 19th. Trivia Night is a fun event, in which teams compete in friendly competition and answer questions about sports, geography, music, history and pop culture.
We will have a silent auction, raffle, and drawings throughout the night.
Invite your family and friends for a fun evening. If you don't have a group of people to play trivia we can assign you to a team. The doors open at 6:30 pm and Trivia play starts 7:30 pm. The event will take place at the Elks Lodge in Alma. All process will benefit abused and/or neglected children involved with CASA of Gratiot County.
Please contact Child Advocacy for more information at (989) 463-1422 or michelle@linkforfamilies.org
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Welcome Mallory Harrier
Children's Advocacy Center Intake Coordinator
My name is Mallory Harrier and I am the new Intake Coordinator for the Children's Advocacy Center. I am somewhat new to Gratiot County, but I have known since moving here that Child Advocacy is where I wanted to continue my career someday. I am so grateful to have been given that opportunity.
I have my bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and spent the past five years teaching for the Great Start Readiness Program. Working with and advocating for children is something I am extremely passionate about. I am excited to be working with such a great team who all share the same mission. I look forward to doing my part in helping Child Advocacy continue to grow and playing a more active role in the community.
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Scheduled Classes
Foster/Adoptive/Relative Care Support Group
Tuesday, November 8
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
New Location: East Superior Christian Church - Alma
Please call our office at (989) 463-1422 to register for the class.
Gratiot County Substance Abuse Coalition Meeting
Monday November 14
1:00 p.m.
Youth for Christ
2550 W. Cheesman Rd.
Alma, MI 48801
Please call Sara at 989-463-1422 with any questions.
ACT Raising Safe Kids Program
for parents of children 0-8 years old.
November 2, 7, 9, 14, 16 & 21
5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Wilcox Non-Profit Center
To register for the ACT Raising Safe Kids Program contact Child Advocacy (989) 463-1422.
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Greetings,
October was such an exciting month at Child Advocacy! As mentioned above, we welcomed three new staff members to our agency, which now puts us at eleven. When I became the Executive Director in the winter of 2009 there were just two and a half of us on staff, so eleven seems HUGE! The halls are much noisier around here, and you can feel the energy from the passion that this staff puts into the work they are doing in this community.
We welcomed Jim Dubey, Garr Tool, and Alison Morrison, Department of Health and Human Services, to our Board of Directors at our annual Staff and Board Meeting in October. This month we will welcome Detective/Sergeant Mark Williams from the Alma Police Department to the Board. We are excited to have Jim, Alison, and Mark as part of our Child Advocacy Team.
I thought I would share a picture of our new team!
(From left: Morgan, Sara, Richelle, Pam, Staci, Audra, Michelle, Heather, Ty, Nicole, and Mallory)
Happy Thanksgiving!
Sincerely,
Audra Stahl
Executive Director
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