The Bridge Children's Advocacy Center

A nonprofit organization
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Andrew doesn't know what to do...   

He is terrified to tell his mom. It all started when he met a new friend online. 

On Christmas morning, 13-year-old Andrew tears into the wrapping paper and finds the gift he’s dreamed about, a brand-new phone. Since he's a good kid, his mom didn't place any restrictions or filters on his phone. Within hours, his favorite apps light up the screen: YouTube, Roblox, Snapchat, Discord. The whole world is suddenly in his hands.

That's how the predator was able to reach him.  

One afternoon while gaming online, Andrew
meets “a girl.” She seems cool. They even have several mutual friends
online, so Andrew figures she's safe. Before long, they’re talking daily. It feels real. It feels like love.

Then one night, she asks Andrew to send her a private photo.
He hesitates, but she insists. Wanting to prove his trust, he sends it. But when she asks again and he refuses...everything
changes.

Andrew didn’t realize the “girl” he was chatting with was
actually a sexual predator. Angry that he wouldn’t send another photo, the
predator shares Andrew’s image with their mutual friends online. By the next
day, it’s everywhere…across school group chats, Snapchat stories, Discord
servers. Andrew’s world collapses.

Your gift to The Bridge offers prevention programs that teach kids about online safety, consent, and respect, giving families the tools to have difficult conversations BEFORE tragedy occurs. 

The hard truth is that one in six of our Texas Panhandle kids will suffer sexual abuse before his or her 18th birthday.

As a special donor to The Bridge you make the Texas Panhandle a safer place for children.

Your compassion ensures that when a terrified teen like
Andrew finally reaches out, trained
professionals at The Bridge are ready to help. Because of you, Andrew isn’t
alone. Law enforcement steps in to ensure other children are not harmed by this
predator. And Andrew is provided with a counselor who helps him face his
friends again, rebuild his confidence, and begin to heal.

When you give to The Bridge, you make sure that
children like Andrew, who thought their lives were over, can find hope,
healing, and protection instead. 

Thank you for helping Andrew with your gift to The Bridge during The Panhandle Gives.

With deep gratitude,
The Bridge Board and Staff

(As a nonprofit agency, The Bridge provides all services, including community education, free of charge.  Our annual budget for providing these services to the top 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle is $1.9M.  This campaign is a crucial part of our fundraising efforts so that every child receives every service and every effort to find healing and justice.)***Protecting children's confidential information is critical to the mission of The Bridge.  Andrew's persona is shared as an example of what Texas Panhandle children suffer. He is not a real person.***

Who We Are

Your donations help The Bridge achieve its mission to provide a child’s path to healing and justice. Each year The Bridge provides services to more than 1,000 young victims and their families residing in the Texas Panhandle. Our services include forensic interviewing, victim’s assistance and providing community and safety education programs. The overall goal of The Bridge is to help children and their families heal from the trauma of abuse, so the crime does not define their lives.

Organization Data

Summary

Organization name

The Bridge Children's Advocacy Center

Tax id (EIN)

75-1995807

Address

804 Quail Creek
Amarillo, TX 79124

Phone

8063722873

Website

http://www.bridgecac.org