Zacharias Sexual Abuse Center wins Impact100 grant
Zacharias Sexual Abuse Center (ZCenter) has officially turned 40. ZCenter continues to improve their services, create innovative programs, and expand their reach throughout Lake and northern Cook counties. Here are some recent happenings.
40 Years of Healing
On June 16, ZCenter and the community came together to celebrate their 40th anniversary and support survivors. It was an honor for ZCenter to stand with a former client and hear Margaret Hoelzer speak about her experience as a survivor.
This was the first Spring Luncheon since the COVID-19 pandemic started. ZCenter is grateful for everyone who attended this luncheon, including guest speakers, donors, and sponsors.
Impact100
On June 13, ZCenter was awarded the Impact100 Chicago Grant. It is an extremely competitive process leading to one winning grant. ZCenter was proud to stand as a finalist alongside The Harbor and Fellowship Housing. Receiving this grant award will allow ZCenter to reach more students and present important information in ways that students learn today.
In their post announcing the award, an Impact100 representative stated, "Our Impact grant will help this organization to double its student outreach, allowing them to provide education about what consent looks like and what sexual abuse is."
This grant award of $80,000 will support ZCenter in their goal to expand the accessibility of their innovative prevention education curriculum. Digitizing this material will exponentially increase the availability of this crucial education throughout Lake County.
Recognizing that prevention education is a key factor in ending sexual violence, this updated curriculum will teach this sensitive but important material in a way that most children relate to today.
With the advancements in technology and the reliance on social media apps, students prefer information in short, digestible pieces. Currently, ZCenter only has the resources to provide this state mandated curriculum to even-numbered grades one day each year. Expanding this component of ZCenter's program will help reach more children.
"ZCenter is humbled by being selected as this year's Impact100 grantee. At a time when rape crisis centers across Illinois are being faced with 49% cuts in federal funding, this support could not be more timely," said Sandy T. Williams, executive director of Zacharias Sexual Abuse Center.
"The Impact100 grant, coupled with the success of our 40th anniversary luncheon, gives us the opportunity to enhance our prevention efforts while also providing essential support to as many survivors as possible."
Over the summer, ZCenter's Prevention Education Team will be working hard to have this curriculum available for students by the beginning of the 2023-24 school year. For more information, contact Tammy Burns, director of community services, at tburns@zcenter.org.
Zacharias Sexual Abuse Center relies on the community to continue their critical mission, and asks that anyone who works for or has connections with schools in ZCenter's service area share this resource.
ZCenter will offer several 40-hour training sessions this year for new volunteers in July and September. Approved volunteers can help present this curriculum in schools.
For more information about training, or if you would like to donate, visit zcenter.org,