MCAP Update

By Mary C. Pugh, Esq., Executive Director, MCAP

MCAP honors the Honorable Cheryl L. Austin at Salute to Heroes Dinner Dance & Auction!

MCAP held its 12th annual Salute to Heroes Dinner Dance & Auction on Saturday, November 12, 2022, LIVE at the Sheraton Valley Forge Hotel. More than 170 family members, friends, and members of the local legal community gathered to celebrate the Honorable Cheryl L. Austin for her dedication and service to the children and families of Montgomery County. Together we enjoyed learning about Judge Austin’s remarkable life, especially her ongoing commitment to service. Guests also toasted MCAP’s volunteer attorney advocates for the thousands of hours they donate each year to their MCAP cases. The event – which included silent and live auctions, delicious food and drink, dancing, and a photo booth – raised critical funds for MCAP’s work to provide free legal services to child victims of abuse, neglect, and trafficking in Montgomery County. Next year’s Salute to Heroes is already on the books for Saturday, November 11, 2023 – please save the date!

Welcome to the newest addition to our MCAP family.

MCAP is excited to announce the addition of our newest staff member, Nutmeg. A 1-year-old female goldendoodle, Nutmeg came to MCAP through the New Hope Assistance Dogs, Inc., a nonprofit organization located in Warren, PA dedicated to enhancing and comforting the lives of individuals and educating the public about the benefits of trained therapy and comfort animals. After she was born, she and her sister, Ginger, were enrolled in the Puppy Prison Program at the State Correctional Institute Pine Grove where the inmates teach the dogs socialization and obedience skills along with intense training to be service dogs for individuals suffering trauma and/or with physical or cognitive disabilities. Luckily, New Hope Assistance Dogs chose MCAP as the recipient of Nutmeg!

Nutmeg was “paroled” in August 2022 and has continued her training to be a therapy and comfort dog. Nutmeg will come to work every day at MCAP and accompany MCAP attorneys when meeting with our kids, or when kids are being interviewed, or testifying. Nutmeg will also be available to help our partners with their clients who need a comfort companion to navigate the confusing and traumatic legal arenas. We are thankful to the MCAP Board of Directors, the Montgomery Bar Association Executive Director Denise Vicario, and President Judge Carolyn Carluccio for their enthusiastic support of this project. Nutmeg’s first day of work was December 5, 2022. MCAP obtained Nutmeg with the generous support from The Walmart Community Grant Program and a personal donation from Razvan Ionescu. For more information about Nutmeg, contact our office.

Thank you!

Like most nonprofits, businesses, and families, COVID and its collateral consequences negatively impacted MCAP in many ways. We experienced an explosion in the number of cases and children we served. In 2021, MCAP represented and provided legal services to 775 children in 536 cases, the greatest number of children/cases MCAP served in one year. For 2022, we are on track to surpass our 2021 record- breaking numbers.

On behalf of MCAP’s board and staff, thank you for your support and commitment to keeping children safe. Wishing you and your families warm wishes for a healthy and happy holiday season. To donate to MCAP visit our website at www. mcapkids.org – you can direct your donations for the care and maintenance of our Nutmeg.

Montgomery Child Advocacy Project’s (MCAP) mission is to end and prevent child abuse and neglect in Montgomery County through legal services, advocacy, and education. MCAP operates as a pro-bono model with 140+ professional attorneys (trained by MCAP) on our roster who donate approximately 8,000 hours to our child clients’ cases each year. Since our founding in 2004, MCAP has provided free legal services for more than 6,200 children. To learn more please see our website at www.mcapkids.org.