“Come invest with us. Children are our future and our greatest
investment, period,” Graci says passionately as Dennis looks
proudly on, clearly in agreement with his wife’s ardent plea.
He adds, “There are so many opportunities for people to
become engaged in what we are doing. Obviously, we need
funding, so we’re looking for people who are willing to donate.
Volunteer opportunities; opportunities to collaborate with other
organizations; the opportunity to teach people who are going
to enter social service to work and deal with child abuse.”
Still, with all the hope, science and compassion that this
wonderful campus of hope and healing will provide, both
Graci and Dennis face the stark reality of what’s at stake. They
know the clock is always ticking and that every ten seconds
in America a case of child abuse is reported.
The time is here and now; there is hope in the future because
of the All Star Children’s Center.
Ground has been broken on the site, located near 17th Street
and Lockwood Ridge Road. Once completed, the five-acre
center will provide comprehensive trauma-informed care to
as many as 60 children at a time.
Fundraising efforts are in full swing, with the goal of raising over
$13 million—a goal very much in sight thanks to the generous
pledge of $1 million by the Charles & Margery Barancik
Foundation to fund a position at Johns Hopkins All Children’s
Hospital to design its trauma-informed treatment program,
as well as a state grant of $2.5 million for building expenses.
And while the capital campaign has been launched and some
funds have been raised, much more are needed to complete
the ambitious campus that will include an outpatient facility,
six licensed foster homes and a community center.
The campus will also include a central park, where children
can picnic, relax and energize their spirit. A playground will
supply all the wonderful opportunities for kids to learn to play
and cooperate with others. A children’s boutique will provide
children, many of whom enter the foster system with only the
worn and often dirty clothes on their back, a chance to pick
out some new and clean clothes. Finally, a garden will give
foster families and children a chance to grow and pick fruits,
vegetables and flowers on campus. Most importantly, the All
66 SARASOTA SCENE | MAY 2018
Star Children’s Center will provide a time and place for all
children to help reverse the trend and heal their trauma with
the latest scientific care.
In the film Judgement at Nuremburg, in which judgement
was cast on those who participated in the atrocities of Nazi
Germany toward the millions of innocent men, women and
children, chief judge Dan Haywood (portrayed by Spencer
Tracy) said, “Before the people of the world - let it now be
noted in our decision here that this is what we stand for:
justice, truth...and the value of a single human being!”
The value of one human being.
In a system that too often fails children, it is the value of
one single child with his or her own painful journey built on
fear and mistreatment that hits Graci McGillicuddy in her
core as a caring mother and grandmother. “The reason I’m
so absolutely passionate about what we’re doing is I look
at each and every child and ask the question, ‘What if this
happened to my grandchild? Wouldn’t I want them to get
the best care that I possibly could get?’ We just have to take
care of our kids. These are our kids. These are our children.”
“That’s where the urgency lies. I think every single person
needs to realize these horrible things are happening to
children; then it may mean something more than 400,000
incidents. What if one of them was your grandchild? Every
one of these numbers is a child that we must protect.” Dennis
believes this will “clearly be a lifelong undertaking. This is
a long-term commitment and we expect to see this work
continue long after we’re gone. We just hope to plant the
right seeds that lead to Graci’s ultimate dream in which child
abuse has been totally obliterated.”
The All Star Children’s Center is a dream that must become
reality. Just remember: after you finish reading this article,
another report of child abuse has been made. The time to
help is now.
For more information on how you can help, visit
allstarchildrensfoundation.org or call 941.349.2770
For questions about programs and services:
LindseyM@ascf.care
For questions about donations, events or fundraising:
BethB@ascf.care
on the town
/allstarchildrensfoundation.org
link
link