About ChildHelp USA Charity and How the Roberto Botticelli 2013 Fall Fashion Show is bound to make a Difference

By: Cindy G. Castillo

Did you know one in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused by the time they turn 18? Did you know that 5 children die each day from abuse?

The statistics are there, and it’s time to talk about it.

“The statistics show that [abuse] is happening and it is happening in extremely alarming rates,” ChildHelp USA Marketing Manager Meghan Row shared.  

Founded in 1959 by Sara O’ Meara and Yvonne Fedderson, ChildHelp Charity will be celebrating its 55^th anniversary this upcoming 2014. Over fifty years of being a national non-profit organization meeting the physical, emotional, educational, and spiritual needs of abused, neglected, and at-risk children. Their main mission is to focus their efforts ‘on advocacy, prevention, treatment, and community outreach.’

“Child abuse does not discriminate on anything. It doesn’t discriminate on socio-economic level, age, race, gender, anything like that,” Row said as she encourages “anybody to go out and support the organization.. because I know about ChildHelp, and we need to start talking about [abuse].”

The Roberto Botticelli 2013 Fall Fashion show will take place this Saturday, November 23 at the Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall. Benefits from silent auction items, raffle ticket sales, and 10 percent of Roberto Botticelli store sales for that night will all be in benefit of the organization.

A report of child abuse is made every 10 seconds. “Those statistics right there are staggering enough to reach people.. it is critical that we are out in the community talking about the situation so that we can prevent abuse through education .. rather than trying to treat it after the facts.” Row said.

Fundraisers such as the Roberto Botticelli 2013 Fall Fashion show are developed, promoted, and set up entirely by the company itself. It is designed for individuals not only to know about the organization, but also translates into their devotion to the ChildHelp mission, including that of sponsoring companies who make the event possible.

“Any type of awareness that we can bring to this organization is extremely beneficial to our mission..[and]I think that advocacy and awareness are just as important as monetary return.”

For every dollar that the organization receives, 91 cents goes directly to the care of children.

Their largest, most well-known program is the 24/7 National Child Abuse Hotline, which serves as a light to anyone in need. The hotline has been the starting point for a number of heartwarming stories, which were made into a book called, “Silence Broken” in the year 2005.

Row shares a recent story that stood out to her just from a couple months ago. ChildHelp “received a hotline call, our counselor answered, an individual called and she was experiencing abuse. She was talking to the counselor about what to do and how to get out of the situation that she was in. A couple weeks after that phone call the mom called and wanted to talk to the director. [The mother] shared with us that because of our hotline her child received the courage to tell her what was happening. It was her stepfather who was abusing her.”

It was because of the ChildHelp hotline and the counseling the victim received, both the mother and the daughter were able to face the abusive situation and begin the recovery process. Anybody can call and receive help from trained counselors or resources from people in their respective communities.

“Most importantly for us is that the children are receiving the medical needs, the clothing, the support, and even a place to stay. Those are most important to us.”Row said.

To learn more about the ChildHelp USA Organization, their mission, and ways to help, please visit their official website at www.childhelp.org.

For more information about the Roberto Botticelli 2013 Fall Fashion Show, or to make a reservation to attend, please visit their official Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/events/260244934124522/