Ed & Nancy Hanenburg Children's Advocacy Center

Ed & Nancy Hanenburg Children's Advocacy Center We exist to protect children, empower families, and bring hope and healing after child sexual abuse.

Child sexual abuse is an epidemic. 1:10 children before the age of 18 are sexually abused and Ottawa County is not immune. No single agency can possibly meet all the needs of sexually victimized children and their families. Taking child victims from agency to agency for multiple interviews traumatizes children and, in fact, re-victimizes them. The CAC is committed to providing a coordinated, multi

-disciplinary team approach with Child Protective Services, law enforcement, prosecution, and mental/medical health professionals to get our clients justice in anyway we can. We provide programs and support services for child victims and their non-offending families at zero cost, for life, enabling them to heal emotionally and physically.

We are proud to share our Kids Have Rights: Child Abuse Prevention Impact Report with the community! This past school ye...
06/05/2026

We are proud to share our Kids Have Rights: Child Abuse Prevention Impact Report with the community! This past school year was filled with meaningful conversations, important learning, and powerful prevention work with children, schools, and families throughout Ottawa County.

One teacher shared: “I truly loved it, and I'm so grateful that you take the time to give these talks and work together with us to protect and care for our children. Thank you so much for partnering with us in this important effort.”

We are grateful for the educators, schools, and community partners who work alongside us to help children understand their rights, recognize safe adults, and know they are never alone.

Learn more at www.cac-ottawa.org.

Together, we are building safer futures for kids.

What a day!!! Because of this incredible community of champions, our 27th Annual Child Abuse Benefit Golf Outing was our...
06/03/2026

What a day!!! Because of this incredible community of champions, our 27th Annual Child Abuse Benefit Golf Outing was our most successful yet!

Together, we raised a record-breaking amount to support children and families served by the Ed & Nancy Hanenburg Children's Advocacy Center. We also saw record-setting results from both our live auction and raffle, demonstrating the tremendous generosity of everyone who participated.

Every sponsorship, foursome, raffle ticket, auction bid, volunteer hour, and donation helps ensure that children in our community have champions standing beside them when they need it most. Thank you to our golfers, sponsors, donors, volunteers, committee members, staff, board members, and community partners for helping us create bold and bright futures for children!

When a community comes together to champion children, amazing things happen!

Today we’re celebrating our amazing Prevention & Outreach Director, Julie! Julie brings so much kindness, light, and pas...
06/03/2026

Today we’re celebrating our amazing Prevention & Outreach Director, Julie! Julie brings so much kindness, light, and passion to everything she does. She is a thoughtful and supportive leader to her team, a trusted partner to our schools, and a tireless advocate for children throughout our community.

Whether she’s building relationships, supporting staff, or helping kids stay safe, Julie leads with heart and purpose. We are incredibly grateful for all she brings to the CAC and are stronger because of her. Join us in wishing Julie a very happy birthday!

When people think about child abuse disclosures, they often worry about false allegations. But research suggests that ch...
06/02/2026

When people think about child abuse disclosures, they often worry about false allegations. But research suggests that children are actually more likely to deny abuse that has occurred than falsely report it.

A recent study found that adults often view a child's consistent denial as highly credible. However, researchers caution that consistency alone does not tell the whole story. Children may deny abuse for many reasons, including fear, loyalty to the person who harmed them, shame, intimidation, or pressure not to tell.

This is an important reminder that protecting children requires us to look beyond simple assumptions and consider the full context of a child's experiences.

At the Children's Advocacy Center, we know that disclosure is often a process, not a single conversation. Creating safe, supportive environments where children feel heard and believed can make all the difference.

Source: Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, How Consistency and Alleged Perpetrator Relationship Affect Adults' Credibility and Coaching Judgements in Child Sexual Abuse Cases (2025).

We are collecting collage materials for expressive art activities with children and teens at the CAC!We are especially s...
05/28/2026

We are collecting collage materials for expressive art activities with children and teens at the CAC!

We are especially seeking:
-National Geographic, nature or travel magazines
-Magazines or calendars featuring landscapes, animals, or people

Please no sports, food, or home magazines.

Items can be dropped off to 12125 Union St, Holland. Questions? Email Shyra at [email protected].

Donated materials help create meaningful opportunities for creativity, expression, and healing for the children we serve. Thank you for supporting our kids in such a thoughtful way!

As summer sports and travel leagues begin, it’s an important reminder that child abuse prevention includes keeping kids ...
05/26/2026

As summer sports and travel leagues begin, it’s an important reminder that child abuse prevention includes keeping kids safe in athletic spaces.

Research shows that abuse in sports often involves trusted adults or authority figures and can be hidden through grooming, blurred boundaries, and cultures of silence. Many survivors report they did not understand what abuse could look like in sports or felt afraid to speak up.

Parents, coaches, and communities can help protect children by:

Teaching healthy boundaries
Talking openly about grooming and power dynamics
Encouraging children to trust their instincts
Creating environments that are transparent, observable, and interruptible

Every child deserves to learn, play, and compete in spaces where they feel safe, supported, and protected.

Source: Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, From Listening to Lasting Change: Athlete-Informed Solutions for Safer Sports Environments (2025)

Help us kick off summer with our 2nd Annual Kids Camp! We are currently seeking donations to help make camp extra specia...
05/18/2026

Help us kick off summer with our 2nd Annual Kids Camp!

We are currently seeking donations to help make camp extra special for the children and families we serve. Financial contributions will help support activities, supplies, and experiences throughout the week.

We are also collecting:
-Painted inspirational rocks for a camp activity
-Individually packaged snacks and juice boxes for campers

Encouraging words, bright colors, and creative designs are all welcome on the rocks!

If you’d like to donate, contribute supplies, or learn more about how to support camp, please contact Mitch at [email protected]. Financial donations can also be made through our website at www.cac-ottawa.org or via Venmo -Ottawa.

Together, we can help create a summer filled with connection, confidence, healing, and fun for local kids!

When tragedy impacts a community, children often look to the adults around them for safety, honesty, and reassurance. At...
05/16/2026

When tragedy impacts a community, children often look to the adults around them for safety, honesty, and reassurance.

At the Children’s Advocacy Center, we know that difficult experiences and trauma can affect children in many different ways and that healing begins with safe, supportive adults and connected communities.

You do not need to have perfect answers to support your child through grief and difficult conversations. What matters most is staying connected, listening without judgment, maintaining routines, and creating space for children to ask questions and express emotions.

Simple, honest conversations and strong relationships with caring adults can make a powerful difference in helping children feel safe and supported during hard moments.

What a month. What a community!This April, we came together in powerful ways to support children and families through co...
05/08/2026

What a month. What a community!

This April, we came together in powerful ways to support children and families through connection, education, and advocacy. Because every child deserves to feel safe, supported, and heard! Together, we:

Trained 141 adults to prevent child abuse and show up as safe, supportive adults

Engaged youth, families, and partners across schools, community events, and local organizations

Raised $41,000 in sponsorships from community champions committed to creating safer, brighter futures for children

From sold-out events to pinwheel gardens, from professional trainings to everyday conversations, this month was a reminder that prevention happens through relationships. Thank you for showing up as champions for children and helping create safer, brighter futures!

Happy birthday to Taylor, one of our fabulous clinical team members! Taylor is an incredibly skilled therapist and our g...
05/05/2026

Happy birthday to Taylor, one of our fabulous clinical team members! Taylor is an incredibly skilled therapist and our go-to expert on all things related to problematic sexual behaviors. She has a beautiful way of meeting clients exactly where they are, using creativity, compassion, and intention to reduce shame and stigma and support true healing.

We are so grateful for the expertise and heart she brings to this work. Wishing you a wonderful year ahead, Taylor!

Address

12125 Union Street
Holland, MI
49424

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 3pm

Telephone

+16163936123

Website

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