FAITH COMMUNITIES
In 2014, a group of Collin County inter faith leaders, Faith Alliance for Children, established Partners in Protection; a faith-based initiative to encourage faith communities to protect children from abuse. The Partners in Protection program provides faith communities the opportunity to achieve and maintain annual recognition for regular child abuse education and prevention efforts.
Becoming a Partner in Protection with Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County makes a significant statement about an organization’s commitment to child protection. No amount of training, background checks, or volunteer and staff screening can ensure that a child will not be harmed by abuse, and no organization, including Children’s Advocacy Center can make such a guarantee. However, the membership process provides a framework for addressing child safety and provides valuable insight into an appropriate response in the event child abuse would occur within a faith community.
Our vision is that our faith partners are equipped to prevent abuse. If abuse occurs, they will be empowered to respond to it in a way that helps protect other children and the community while at the same time not hindering the investigative process.
We are pleased to recognize the following faith communities for their commitment to protecting children from abuse.
2017 Partners in Protection Members
- Ark Adventure Preschool, Plano
- Avenue F Church of Christ, Plano
- First United Methodist Church, McKinney
- Prestonwood Baptist Church, Plano
- Prince of Peace Catholic Community, Plano
- St. Andrew United Methodist Church, Plano
- St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Community, Plano
- St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Church, McKinney
- St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church, Plano
- Stonebridge United Methodist Church, McKinney
In 2014, Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County launched an initiative to engage faith communities in our cause. We envisioned a network of faith leaders who are engaged in the fight against abuse and equipped to respond appropriately if it happens in their community. Out of that vision came the Faith Alliance for Children, an ecumenical committee of leaders connected to CACCC. Together, these leaders sought to create a unified standard for youth protection in faith communities and to ensure parents and community leaders have the resources and training they need to protect children from abuse.
Charter Faith Alliance for Children Members:
- Khalil Abdur-Rashid – Islamic Association of Collin County
- Courtney Schultz – Stonebridge United Methodist Church
- Dr. Harry Beverly – First Baptist Church of McKinney
- Ramon Hodridge – Avenue F. Church of Christ
- Bruce Kendrick – Embrace Texas
- Jarrett Stephens – Prestonwood Baptist Church
- Rabbi Benjamin Sternman – Adat Chaverim
- Jerry Waynant – St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Community
- Kurtran Wright – One Community Church
The Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County and the Faith Alliance for Children collaborated to offer the following FREE resources to faith communities to help them protect children from abuse. Use these resources to help establish a safe environment policy and become a Partner in Protection.
Background Checks:
All Partners in Protection are required to conduct annual criminal background checks for all staff and youth-serving volunteers. CACCC does not offer a background check service. Here are background check and ministry safety vendors that provide services to faith-based organizations:
Have questions about the Partners in Protection program? Contact:
Jamie Ginden
Community Relations Manager
jginden@caccollincounty.org
972.633.6752