April House Children’s Advocacy Center will host a joyous Open House in its new location, 501 N. Madison Street, Morrison, IL, on Friday, September 12, 2014. Visitors may arrive between noon and 2:00 p.m. to tour the renovated site on the northwest corner. Over several months, members of Sunshine Rotary, Rock Falls, IL, transformed the structure with their donated labor efforts. April House is a short-term haven for child victims of abuse or violence.
The building supports the work of Forensic Psychologist Johanna Hager. Here, in security and complete privacy, youngsters give testimony to Dr. Hager. She previously conducted interviews of children in the adjacent building at 503 N. Madison Street. Unfortunately, that structure was not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA.) Additionally, it was not able to be rehabilitated to bring it up to code.
Due to that fact, previous State and Federal grant funds for operations of the facility were lost to Whiteside County. Grants paid for electricity, heat, and water, but also for child testing and physician’s fees. The County Board donated the building at 501 W. Madison as a new interview site, but it, too, required modifications. Sunshine Rotarians used materials donated by several area merchants to widen doors; make the bathroom ADA compliant; install flooring and carpet; build a 40′ indoor wheelchair ramp. It is invisible outside, because the ramp cleverly is located in the garage.
April House is the only agency in Whiteside County to provide specialized services exclusively to children who have been abused or neglected. With a compliant facility, the County has received some of the original Government funding.
Click here for a registration form for the April House Children’s Advocacy Center Golf Tournament on Saturday, Sepetember 27. Proceeds go to April House. This four-person golf scramble ensures there are monies available to offer services to children. As a major fundraiser, the event also allows non-golfers to support April House, with raffles and a Lucky Duck auction, as well as donations made to April House.