Kids First, Inc. Child Advocacy Center

11/02/2026

🤯 Can you believe it's already November?!?

It's time for End of Year giving, and Kids First, Inc. would love to be on the receiving end of your donation!
It's no secret that this year has been hard for non-profits serving our community.

North Carolina nonprofits serving victims of child abuse, neglect, and sexual assault are facing an average 20% reduction in VOCA grant funding, affecting 138 organizations statewide, including 54 child advocacy centers. This comes after years of declining federal support for victims of crime.

Sources: WUNC, December 2025⁠ and NC Coalition Against Domestic Violence⁠.
We are relying on YOUR generosity to help us continue our mission!

💲 Donate Today!
https://kidsfirstinc.org/donations/

10/28/2026

🚨 Child Grooming: Know the Signs. Protect Our Children.

Grooming is when an adult or older individual builds trust with a child, and often their family, to manipulate, exploit, or sexually abuse that child. Grooming can happen in person, online, or even within trusted relationships.

❤️ Parents and caregivers, know the warning signs:

🚩 An adult giving a child excessive gifts, attention, or special privileges.

🚩 Encouraging secrets or private conversations away from parents.

🚩 Pushing physical boundaries or ignoring a child's discomfort.

🚩 Attempting to isolate a child from family or friends.

🚩 A child becoming unusually secretive, withdrawn, or anxious around a particular person.

Grooming doesn't always look dangerous. Sometimes it looks like kindness, attention, and trust.
Kids First, encourages parents and caregivers to stay involved, keep communication open, and trust their instincts. Warning signs don't always mean abuse is occurring, but they should never be ignored.

💙 Awareness is prevention. Together, we can protect our children.

10/22/2026

📱💻 Protecting Kids in a Digital World!

Technology has made it easier than ever for predators to reach children, build relationships, and gain their trust, often without parents even knowing.

We encourage parents and caregivers to stay involved in their children's digital lives!

🚨 3 Tips to Keep Kids Safe:

🔹 Monitor ALL Technology: Check phones, tablets, gaming systems, social media, and messaging apps. Predators can make contact through more than just social media!

🔹 Keep Communication Open: Talk regularly about online safety. Make sure your child knows they can come to you without fear or judgment if something feels uncomfortable.

🔹 Know Who They're Talking To: Online friends aren't always who they claim to be. Teach children never to share personal information, photos, or private conversations with strangers.

❤️ Grooming often begins with something as simple as a friendly message. Staying informed, involved, and connected is one of the best ways to protect our children!

10/14/2026

Discovering a child you love has experienced abuse is devastating.

The process can seem overwhelming. Knowing what to expect and what services are available can help ease just a bit of that anxiety.

Take a look, discover what we're all about and how we work.

https://vimeo.com/357618742?fl=pl&fe=sh

This is "Kids First CAC" by Voice For The Kids on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

10/12/2026

🦃 DON'T WAIT! REGISTER BEFORE PRICES INCREASE NOVEMBER 1ST! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️

Join Kids First, Inc. for our 15th Annual Turkey Trot! A holiday tradition bringing families, friends, and even four-legged companions together for a great cause!

📅 Saturday, November 28, 2026
📍 Waterfront Park | Elizabeth City
🏃 5K Registration: 8:00–8:45 AM
🏁 5K Starts: 9:00 AM
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 1-Mile Family Fun Run: 10:00 AM

🚨 Register by October 31st to beat the price increase AND guarantee your 2026 Turkey Trot shirt!

❤️ Every step makes a difference! All proceeds support Kids First's mission of helping local children heal from abuse and neglect through therapy, family advocacy, and education.

Register 👉
https://runsignup.com/Race/NC/ElizabethCity/KidsFirstTurkeyTrot?fbclid=IwdGRjcAU6Er1jbGNrBToStWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHBkb2YBc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMzUwNjg1NTMxNzI4AAEepL4FOdYSDdPet4LufCEhSUoMkp4tWmP8FifwDjxAIawB06gawCBsMpOOepg_aem_4-oV8bU9SP0t85iDIYHVkw

10/09/2026

💜 October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month!

Kids First, Inc. believes that strong communities are built through strong partnerships.

We are proud to work alongside organizations like Albemarle Hopeline to raise awareness, connect families with vital resources, and provide hope and support during some of life's most difficult moments.

Together, we can make a greater impact, strengthen our community, and ensure that those in need know they are never alone.

💜 Awareness. Advocacy. Community. Together, we make a difference.

10/06/2026

🚨 Did you know YOU are a mandated reporter?

In North Carolina, every person has a legal duty to report when they have cause to suspect that a child is being abused, neglected, or is dependent.

That means it’s not just:

👩‍🏫 Teachers
👩‍⚕️ Doctors & nurses
🧑‍💼 Social workers & counselors
👮 Law enforcement
👶 Childcare providers

It means ALL of us.

Being a mandated reporter doesn’t mean you have to prove abuse occurred or investigate it yourself. If you have reason to suspect a child may be in danger, your responsibility is to report your concerns to the county Department of Social Services.

Protecting children is a responsibility we all share. 💙

See something. Suspect something. Say something.

10/01/2026

🛡️ Standards Matter—Especially When a Child’s Story Is at Stake.

As an accredited Child Advocacy Center, Kids First, Inc. follows standards established by the National Children’s Alliance to ensure child abuse cases are handled with care, consistency and integrity.

These standards guide everything from forensic interviews and medical evaluations to multidisciplinary investigations, victim advocacy, therapy, case review and case tracking. Forensic interviews are conducted by specially trained professionals using a non-leading, fact-finding approach designed to be legally defensible while reducing the need for a child to repeatedly tell their story.

🤔 Why does this matter? Because when abuse is alleged, the integrity of the investigation matters—and so does protecting the child from additional trauma.

Keeping the child at the center of the process isn't just our mission at Kids First, Inc. ... It's the standard we are held to. 💙

Learn more about the standards we adhere to: https://kidsfirstinc.org/standards/