Ed & Nancy Hanenburg Children's Advocacy Center

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Ed & Nancy Hanenburg Children's Advocacy Center We exist to protect children, empower families, and bring hope and healing after child sexual abuse.

Child sexual abuse is an epidemic. 1:10 children before the age of 18 are sexually abused and Ottawa County is not immune. No single agency can possibly meet all the needs of sexually victimized children and their families. Taking child victims from agency to agency for multiple interviews traumatizes children and, in fact, re-victimizes them. The CAC is committed to providing a coordinated, multi-disciplinary team approach with Child Protective Services, law enforcement, prosecution, and mental/medical health professionals to get our clients justice in anyway we can. We provide programs and support services for child victims and their non-offending families at zero cost, for life, enabling them to heal emotionally and physically.

Looking for a simple way to make a difference? We’re looking for a few volunteers at the Children’s Advocacy Center!The...
10/16/2026

Looking for a simple way to make a difference? We’re looking for a few volunteers at the Children’s Advocacy Center!

There are so many behind-the-scenes things that help us maintain a welcoming, comfortable space for the children and families who walk through our doors and we would love some community members to help us with them.

We currently have volunteer opportunities for light office cleaning as well as small maintenance projects and seasonal yard work. Whether you enjoy organizing and tidying, tackling little projects, or working outside, your time can help us care for the place where so much important work happens.

These may feel like small tasks, but they make a big difference and they allow our team to spend more of our time focused on what matters most: kids and families.

Interested in lending a hand? Check out the flyer for more information or contact [email protected].

And please share this post with someone you know who might be a great fit!

Today we had the privilege of celebrating some pretty incredible people at the 2026 Together We Can Appreciation Awards!...
10/14/2026

Today we had the privilege of celebrating some pretty incredible people at the 2026 Together We Can Appreciation Awards!

These awards honor law enforcement, agency professionals, and community champions across Ottawa and Allegan Counties who demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to supporting survivors and working toward communities free from domestic and sexual violence.

We were especially proud to celebrate three people who make a meaningful difference for children, families, and survivors in our community:

💙 Emily Friberg, CAC Forensic Interview Manager
💙 Detective Bridget Schickinger, Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office
💙 Annie Paul, owner of AP Baked Goods and incredible community advocate

Each of these women shows up for this work in a different way, but they share something important: a deep commitment to believing, supporting, protecting, and advocating for others.

We are so grateful for the expertise, compassion, courage, and heart they bring to our community and so happy to see them recognized today! Congratulations, Emily, Bridget, and Annie! So very well deserved.

Thank you to the Allegan County Coordinating Council on Domestic Violence and Violence Prevention Alliance – Lakeshore for continuing this tradition of recognizing the people working every day to make our communities safer.

Is simply being nearby enough to keep kids safe? New research challenges a common assumption about child sexual abuse: t...
10/12/2026

Is simply being nearby enough to keep kids safe? New research challenges a common assumption about child sexual abuse: that it only happens when a child is alone with the person harming them. The study found that more than half of the reported abuse occurred in homes where other people were always or usually present. In some cases, a parent or other caregiving adult was home at the time. The takeaway? Presence alone isn’t prevention.

Child sexual abuse can happen even when:
• Other adults or children are home
• Doors are open
• A caregiver is nearby
• The person with the child is someone the family knows and trusts

This doesn’t mean caregivers can watch children every second of every day or that a caregiver is responsible when someone chooses to harm a child. It means prevention requires more than simply having adults nearby.

Active, attentive supervision matters. Know who is spending time with your child. Pay attention to situations that create privacy or isolation. Set clear boundaries for adults and older youth. Stay curious about your child’s relationships. And make sure your child knows they can come to you when something feels uncomfortable, confusing, or unsafe.

Most importantly, we cannot put the responsibility for preventing abuse on children. Keeping kids safe is an adult responsibility and it takes all of us!

This post is based on new research shared by the National Children's Alliance and published in the Journal of Child Sexual Abuse October 2026, entitled "The Presence of Others and the Possibility of Discovery During the Commission of Child Sexual Abuse Within Private Homes."

10/07/2026

P.S. Check out just how awesome the birthday girl is in our Bids & Bites gala video from last year! Mariah absolutely shines and this gives you a little glimpse into the heart, skill, and care she brings to her work every day!

Happy birthday to Mariah, our amazing Clinical Services Supervisor! Mariah is incredibly smart, skilled, thoughtful, and...
10/07/2026

Happy birthday to Mariah, our amazing Clinical Services Supervisor! Mariah is incredibly smart, skilled, thoughtful, and relentlessly empathetic. She manages a large counseling caseload with so much grace while also supervising counselors and interns, supporting her teammates, and always finding ways to go above and beyond for the kids and families we serve.

One of the things we appreciate most about Mariah is how deeply she cares about getting it right for each individual child. She is always willing to think creatively, tailor services, advocate for what a child needs, and put in the extra effort to make sure families feel supported.

We are so grateful for everything you bring to the CAC Mariah! We hope you feel very loved and celebrated today. Happy birthday!!

Yesterday we hosted our annual Multidisciplinary Team Retreat! Our MDT brings together professionals from across discipl...
10/01/2026

Yesterday we hosted our annual Multidisciplinary Team Retreat! Our MDT brings together professionals from across disciplines who share one goal: creating the strongest, most coordinated response possible for children and families impacted by abuse.

We spent the afternoon enjoying some great food from Righteous Cuisine and The Pump House, connecting with one another, sharing perspectives, and learning together. Our afternoon included a look at the new prevention education we’re piloting with middle and high school students, safety planning led by CPS, and a conversation about vicarious trauma and caring for ourselves while doing difficult work.

One quote that really resonated: "The expectation that we can be immersed in suffering and loss daily and not be touched by it is as unrealistic as expecting to be able to walk through water without getting wet." -Rachel Naomi Remen

This work can be heavy, and days like this remind us how important it is to invest in the people doing it and in the relationships that allow us to show up as one team for kids and families. We are incredibly grateful for our MDT partners and the expertise, compassion, and commitment each person brings to the table. Kids are safer when we work together!

Phones, social media, gaming, YouTube, AI... kids are navigating a digital world that changes quickly. And just like we ...
09/28/2026

Phones, social media, gaming, YouTube, AI... kids are navigating a digital world that changes quickly. And just like we teach children how to stay safe at school, at home, and in the community, they need adults helping them learn how to stay safe online.

Culture Reframed shares some practical ways families can build safer, healthier digital habits:

Set boundaries together. Create family expectations around devices, apps, screen time, and where technology is used. Involving kids in the conversation can help build understanding and buy-in.

Protect their privacy. Talk about what information should never be shared online, review privacy settings together, and use age-appropriate parental controls when needed.

Talk about po*******hy. Kids may encounter explicit content online even when they aren't looking for it. Age-appropriate conversations can help children understand what they see and, most importantly, know they can come to you without fear, shame, or getting in trouble.

Build critical-thinking skills. Remind kids that not everything online is real, accurate, or safe. Talk about cyberbullying, manipulated images and videos, AI-generated content, and how to respond when something doesn't feel right.

Make room for life offline. Encourage play, movement, hobbies, time outside, and regular opportunities for the whole family to unplug.

Online safety isn't one big conversation, it's lots of little ones. Keep checking in. Stay curious about what your kids are doing online. And remind them often: If you ever see something online that worries, scares, confuses, or surprises you, you can always come to me.

Thank you to Culture Reframed for providing resources that help parents and caregivers navigate these conversations! For more tools and information to help keep kids safe online, visit www.culturereframed.org and www.cac-ottawa.org.

Happiest of birthdays to Dalila!! We are so lucky to have Dalila on our team! She is smart, confident, incredibly effici...
09/22/2026

Happiest of birthdays to Dalila!! We are so lucky to have Dalila on our team! She is smart, confident, incredibly efficient, and always willing to jump in and help. She has also done such an amazing job growing and strengthening our Spanish-language outreach, helping us connect with families in more meaningful and accessible ways both in print and in person.

Dalila brings so much talent, care, and her own unique perspective to our team, and we are very grateful for her! Happy birthday, Dalila! We hope you feel extra celebrated today!

Things are starting to BLOOM for our 20th Annual Bids & Bites Gala! We’re counting down to one of our favorite nights of...
09/16/2026

Things are starting to BLOOM for our 20th Annual Bids & Bites Gala!

We’re counting down to one of our favorite nights of the year and this one is shaping up to be pretty incredible!

*Amazing sponsors making it all possible
*Delicious food & drinks
*Raffles, special events & chances to win
*One-of-a-kind live and buy-a-line auction packages
*A beautiful night out with an even better purpose
*A room full of people showing up for kids

And we’re just getting started! Join us Friday, November 6 at Pigeon Creek Event Center for Bids & Bites in Bloom, celebrating 20 years of this incredible event and helping ensure children and families in our community have access to the safety, support, and healing they deserve. Tickets are on sale now - gather your people and join us for a night in full bloom!

Want to be part of making the night even more incredible? Sponsorship opportunities are still available, and we’re continuing to welcome donations for our live and silent auctions. From experiences and getaways to gift cards, products, services, and one-of-a-kind items, every contribution helps make Bids & Bites a success and helps children and families in our community flourish!

Cocktail attire | Florals encouraged 🌸 🌼🌹💐🌷
Consider this your excuse to have a little fun with the theme!

Attend. Sponsor. Donate. There are so many ways to be part of Bids & Bites in Bloom!

https://www.cac-ottawa.org/fundraising-events/bids-bites-in-bloom-gala

Address

12125 Union Street
Holland, MI
49424

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 3pm

Telephone

+16163936123

Website

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