Riedel grant to Child Advocacy Center supports survivors of child abuse

HANNIBAL, Mo. —The George H. Riedel Foundation’s latest award will help Hannibal children who
struggle with the trauma of child abuse.

The Riedel Foundation recently awarded a $5,000 grant to the Child Advocacy Center of Northeast Missouri. The grant will fund mental health services for Hannibal children who are victims of physical, sexual and emotional abuse or neglect.

In a press release, Jessica Homeyer, forensic interviewer at the Child Advocacy Center, said, “Mental health therapy can be a difficult step to take, especially for kids, but when a child feels connected, it’s a chance to express exactly how they feel, to learn that abuse is not their fault and to gain skills that support a healthy lifestyle moving forward.”

The CAC provided forensic interviews related to abuse for 258 Hannibal children in 2021 — a 32 percent increase since 2017.  

“When the Board of Trustees looked at the number of children in Hannibal suffering from the effects of abuse, we knew we needed to step in and help,” lead trustee Michael Bukstein said. “A sizable portion of our grants benefit children. In this case, we see a need to help these children heal from the trauma they’ve suffered.”

The Riedel Foundation has a long partnership with the Child Advocacy Center of Northeast Missouri. Riedel grants since 2005 have helped thousands of children in Hannibal through prevention education, child and family advocacy, training and mental health services.