James' Story ...
James is a 4th grader who has been a
victim of sexual abuse. He came to The Cottage for services
in late 2008. When giving a statement about the abuse that
James endured, staff first thought he might have a developmental
disability. As time went by, it was found that James’
family was unable to afford a visit to the doctor to check
for a possible hearing impairment.
Luckily, The Cottage was able to pay
for these visits, where the doctor discovered James was not
suffering from a hearing impairment but in fact had small
beans in his ears, obstructing his hearing. James is now able
to hear and has been found to have no developmental disabilities.
This is one of the many stories of how
The Cottage has assisted victims of child abuse and adult
sexual assault within our community. The mission is simple:
The Cottage provides intervention, advocacy, referrals, and
support for survivors and families impacted by child abuse
and sexual assault. The Cottage also raises awareness and
provides prevention education about these issues.
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Your
Donation Will Help:
The
Cottage worked with over 200 children and families
in 2008 along with almost 100 adults within the
same year. The Cottage was able to raise awareness
of sexual assault to over 1000 members of our
community last year. The most amazing part is
that The Cottage does this with only three staff
and at no cost to the clients that they serve.
$25.00
pays for antibiotics for a victim of rape
$150.00
pays for an emergency room doctor visit for child
victims of abuse
$250.00
pays for rent assistance for a family or individual
suffering from the trauma of abuse and sexual
assault.
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As with many communities, individuals,
profit and non-profit companies, The Cottage has seen a decrease
in funding opportunities. The state budget threatens to cut
funding for Children’s Advocacy Centers, such as The
Cottage, by 15% within 2010. This will directly affect the
client assistance budget which had helped pay for James’
treatment. This client assistance fund also pays for antibiotics
after an assault, and rental housing assistance for survivors
too frightened to remain in the neighborhood where they were
attacked. All it takes is $25.00 for you to help someone in
need.
With a 15% increase in the number of
people within Athens-Clarke County using services in 2009,
The Cottage is needed now more than ever.
Sincerely,
Jean Asta
President, Cottage Board of Directors
The Cottage is a non-profit
agency and has 501c3 status. This means that you may count
monetary donations to the center as deductions on your tax
forms. Please ask a tax professional about further questions
on tax filing matters.
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