Circle of Hope
Planned Giving ProgramJoin us in creating a safer future for children. By making a planned gift through the Circle of Hope, you ensure every child’s voice is heard, every family is supported, and hope continues for generations to come.
For more information about the Circle of Hope Giving Program, please contact:
Tracie Clanaugh
Executive Director, First Witness Child Advocacy Center
218-727-8353 | tclanaugh@firstwitness.org
Our Mission
Our mission is to strengthen our community’s response to child abuse.
Our Vision
Our vision is of a society that supports children and puts an end to child abuse.
Answering the Call
The heartbreak of abuse has a devastating impact on children, their families, and the fabric of our community. First Witness meets these moments with compassion, expertise, and hope. Still, we need lasting support to ensure no child is ever turned away. You can help make that possible by joining our Circle of Hope through a gift in your will, trust, or estate plan. Your legacy will protect children, support families, and ensure every child’s voice is heard today and for future generations.
The Issue
Globally, the World Health Organization and the National Children’s Alliance estimate that up to one billion children experience abuse each year. In the U.S., 1 in 7 children are affected (CDC, 2022) – a figure likely underreported, as many survivors don’t come forward until adulthood. Closer to home, reports of child abuse in our region have increased by more than 144% over the past decade, underscoring an urgent need for intensified awareness, prevention, and response.
The Need
Responding effectively to child abuse requires consistent, trauma-informed support and specialized expertise. As the demand for our services grows, so does the need for reliable, long-term funding. While annual donations and grants allow us to meet today’s needs, sustainable funding through planned giving is essential to secure our future. It ensures we can continue to provide child-friendly/age-appropriate forensic interviews, advocacy, prevention education, and professional training, regardless of shifts in funding or economic conditions.
What We Do
Strengthening Our Community's Response to Child Abuse
For over 30 years, First Witness Child Advocacy Center (CAC) has supported children, adolescents, vulnerable adults, and families, amplified survivors’ voices, and ensured they receive the care they deserve. Founded in 1991 by and for our community, we remain a leader in child abuse response, advocacy, prevention, and training.
Ensuring Safe and Supportive Forensic Interviews
When a child, adolescent, or vulnerable adult reports abuse, their healing begins. Our forensic interviewers conduct neutral, information-gathering interviews in a safe, child-friendly/age-appropriate setting. They allow individuals to share their experiences in a format that works best for their linguistic and developmental levels. With a compassionate, research-based approach, we minimize retraumatization while preserving their voices in a legally sound and supportive way.
Fostering a Collaborative, Child-Centered Approach
We lead Multidisciplinary Teams (MDTs) in Southern St. Louis and Carlton counties. These teams are composed of various interagency professionals who respond to cases of alleged child maltreatment. Together, we ensure thorough investigations, reduce trauma and support families.
Providing Comprehensive Support for Children and Families
Every child and family we serve receives personalized advocacy and support. Our family advocates stand beside children and their caregivers every step of the way, from guiding them through complex systems, connecting them with essential resources, and helping them find pathways to healing, ensuring no one faces these challenges alone.
Empowering Communities to Prevent Abuse
We equip children, adolescents, caregivers, and communities to prevent abuse through education and collaboration. Our Safe and Strong Child© program educates children, teachers, and caregivers, while Safe and Strong Communities trains adults in youth-serving organizations to recognize, respond to, and report abuse. Partnering with the Child Abuse Prevention Coalition (CAPC), we raise awareness and drive meaningful change, making child safety a shared responsibility.
Leading the Way in Professional Training
As a nationally recognized training organization, First Witness CAC provides extensive services in MDT development and training for professionals in family advocacy, forensic interviews, and prevention education across the state and country.
Ways To Give
There are many meaningful ways to give, and every contribution, no matter its form, helps build a future where children are safe, heard, and supported. Whether considering a gift through our Circle of Hope planned and lifetime giving program or exploring other options that align with your philanthropic goals, your generosity makes a lasting and meaningful difference. Below are opportunities to shape a legacy of hope and make a difference in the lives of children and families.
We encourage you to consult with your financial advisor, tax professional, or estate planning attorney to discuss how these giving options impact your financial situation and help you achieve your philanthropic goals.
Planned Giving
Qualified Retirement Assets
Retirement assets can be a tax-wise and impactful way to support First Witness. When left to heirs, these assets are subject to income tax, but when designated to a nonprofit, they pass income tax-free. First Witness can be named directly as a beneficiary of your Qualified Retirement Plan upon your passing.
Life Insurance
Life insurance can be a powerful way to make a meaningful gift to First Witness. For a relatively modest annual premium, you can create a legacy gift that far exceeds what might be possible through other means.
Bequest
A gift made through your will can benefit your community for years to come. In your will, you can name First Witness to receive a specific amount or a percentage of your assets from your investment portfolio, or a percentage of your estate, or to be a contingent beneficiary.
Real Estate
Appreciated real estate, such as residences, vacation homes, farmland, or commercial property, can be donated to First Witness, subject to our gift acceptance policy. When contributed directly, these gifts may allow you to avoid capital gains tax on the appreciation and qualify for a charitable income tax deduction based on the property’s fair market value.
Lifetime Giving
Qualified Retirement Assets
Retirement assets can be a tax-wise and impactful way to support First Witness. When left to heirs, these assets are subject to income tax, but when designated to a nonprofit, they pass income tax-free. If you are age 73 or older, you may also make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) up to $108,000 annually directly from your IRA. This gift counts toward your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) and can be excluded from your taxable income, offering tax advantages even if you don’t itemize.
*Please consult your tax advisor for current IRS rules regarding QCDs.
$5,000 or more as a One-Time Gift or Pledged Over Time
Monetary donations are the most common gifts to be made. If you itemize deductions on your income tax return, your gift may be deductible from your adjusted gross income. If your donation exceeds the limit, you may be able to carry forward the unused portion and apply it to future tax years. Please consult your tax advisor to understand how these guidelines apply to your specific circumstances.
Publicly Traded Stocks
These are easy to give and can offer you great tax advantages. If you have held the stock for more than one year and it has appreciated, you can make a gift of publicly traded stock to First Witness and avoid paying capital gains tax on the transaction.
Where Hope Begins
Our daughter Maya was only eight years old when she finally found the courage to tell her school counselor that someone close to our family had hurt her. She had kept it inside for months. When the counselor made a report, we soon got a call from child protection. That’s how we were brought to First Witness. We had no idea what to expect—only that we were scared, overwhelmed, and desperate to protect our little girl.
From the moment we walked through the doors of First Witness, we were met with warmth, compassion, and a sense of clarity that we hadn’t felt in weeks. While Maya spoke with a specially trained forensic interviewer in a safe, child-friendly space, a family advocate stayed with us. They listened to us, helped assess what we needed, explained the process, and connected us with counseling and other support.
In the following weeks and months, First Witness continued to be a steady source of strength for our family. Maya started therapy with a trauma-informed counselor, and we were able to attend a support group and continue receiving advocacy services. Healing hasn’t been easy, but we felt a little more hopeful every time we left First Witness. We knew we weren’t alone; a whole team was walking alongside us every step of the way.
“First Witness has served as the center point in our region’s response to child maltreatment for over three decades. Fulfilling their vision of ‘a society that supports children and puts an end to child abuse’ requires more than an effective, compassionate, case-by-case response. To pursue that dream, First Witness has developed and implemented nationally recognized programs that teach children, communities, and professionals how to identify, respond to, and prevent child abuse. Communities can only secure their future when they regard all children as their own—to nurture and protect.”
—Dr. Tim Zager, Donor and Board Member
Why Your Legacy Matters - 10 Reasons to Join the Circle of Hope
Your Gift Is More Than a Building
Bricks build walls, but your legacy can create hope. A planned gift ensures that what happens inside our doors — healing, safety, and justice — continues for generations.
Protect What You’ve Helped Build
If you supported our capital campaign, a future-focused gift would help protect that investment. It ensures the programs, people, and purpose inside those walls thrive long after construction ends.
Make a Lasting Impact Without Affecting Your Finances Today
Many legacy gifts cost nothing now, but their impact can last forever. It is one of the most powerful ways to give, and it doesn’t change your current lifestyle.
Leave a Legacy of Safety and Healing
Child abuse will not disappear tomorrow. Your commitment ensures First Witness is always here, ready to help the next child, the next family, and the next generation.
Support What You Believe in Forever
A lasting gift to First Witness is a powerful expression of your belief in protecting children and uplifting families. When you give through the Circle of Hope, you ensure our mission continues for generations to come.
Create Stability in an Unpredictable World
Year-to-year funding can be uncertain. Your deferred contribution provides steady, reliable support, ensuring First Witness can always say yes when a child needs us.
Stretch Your Giving Power
Future-minded gifts often allow you to give more than you thought possible. Some donors have told us their estate commitments will be their most significant contribution.
Give with Confidence and Peace of Mind
Planned gifts can offer tax benefits for you and your estate. Assets like IRAs or appreciated stocks can pass to First Witness tax-free, making your gift go even further.
Your Story Will Inspire Others
Your donation sends a powerful message: protecting children matters, and hope doesn’t end, it grows. Your story becomes part of something enduring.
Honor Those Who Couldn’t Speak for Themselves
Your legacy gift helps ensure First Witness will always be here ready to listen, believe, and support every survivor who finds the courage to speak. By joining the Circle of Hope, you honor those who once suffered in silence and help create a future where every voice is heard, and every child is met with safety and compassion.