Here at Keefe Real Estate, we are excited about the strides we have made through our Keefe Kares program. We are proud that we contributed over $50,000 in 2016 to more than 20 charitable 501c3 organizations in Walworth, Kenosha and Racine counties.
Many of these non-profits offer safety and comfort to those who have experienced trauma, like the Tree House, a child and family center supported by the Walworth County Alliance for Children (WCAC). Resembling a warm, welcoming home, the center, located in Elkhorn, was opened in 2013 and meets the immediate needs of abused, neglected, drug-endangered children who have witnessed a violent crime in Walworth County. “We now have the space to expand services and community outreach in ways that were previously unimaginable,” says Bridget Dickinson-Six, Director of Development for the WCAC.
The WCAC directly supports the Walworth County Child Advocacy Center through bringing awareness, training, education, outreach and prevention programs to the children, families, schools and agencies in the area. “The WCAC sees on average 300 children and teens a year for forensic interviews and over 100 medical examinations, and will soon be seeing over 75 children and teens for therapy. We receive over 1,000 referrals annually,” says Dickinson-Six. In addition to helping children during trying times, the Tree House has a goal of preventing those experiences in the first place.
“Reaching out into the community to help educate and bring awareness of abuse and neglect, can help break those cycles,” says Dickinson-Six. Some prevention efforts include holding professional training programs for law enforcement, social workers and advocates, and putting on safety fairs.
At Keefe Real Estate, we have a commitment to helping all of those in need throughout the area, but it is especially heartening to make a direct impact on children, and to foster healing and health in the next generation. Keefe Kares has supported the Tree House for over three years, giving Keefe Kares grants that directly impact how children are interviewed through creating a more relaxed, less formal environment. The grants also allow the organization to maintain their top-notch services and programs.
Dickinson-Six also mentions a special fundraiser that Keefe Kares put on last year with matching funds, “which helped feed many families this holiday season for the ham and turkey drive.” Dickinson-Six says, “We are incredibly grateful for Keefe Kares and all they do, not only for the Tree House, but for the entire community. Because of their generosity, along with so many others in the community, we are able to continue supporting the children and families of abuse in Walworth County in the best ways possible. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
For more information about Keefe Kares, visit keefekares.com or contact Tom Pederson at 262-348-3257.
