Please use the following instructions to contact your Illinois Senator and Representative to secure critical funding for CACs across the state. 

Email your legislators

Add your legislators’ emails to a new message, then copy and paste the body below. Be sure to add in their names in the “dear” field, and fill in your information where noted:  

Dear [YOUR LEGISLATORS],

I am [YOUR NAME], a constituent and the director of [YOUR CAC’S NAME], which serves [AREA OR COUNTY OR TOWNS YOUR CAC SERVES] in your district. I am writing to ask you to support a new dedicated appropriation to Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) in the Illinois state budget. 

Governed by the Children’s Advocacy Center Act (55 ILCS 80/), CACs serve children alongside law enforcement and DCFS partners as first responders to child abuse allegations across the state. Our front-line work is essential to the protection of Illinois children. Across the state, forty CACs provide services to more than 14,000 children annually who have experienced sexual abuse or other serious maltreatment. View more from the executive director of CAC of Illinois in this letter.

As your constituent, I’m very concerned about how the pandemic has affected our ability to protect children and the anticipated rise in child abuse and neglect during this time of social isolation. As an essential partner to law enforcement and DCFS, CACs must be in a position to ensure we are always accessible. Dedicated funding for our operations will allow us to keep our doors open regardless of the crises we may be facing, and that we are always able to respond to the increased needs of abused children in Illinois.

Please support adding an appropriation for CACs in the state budget to ensure children are protected and CACs are able to respond to our community’s needs without disruption.

Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
[YOUR ADDRES]
[YOUR CITY, STATE & ZIP]

Call your legislators

You may call in addition to emailing your legislators. Here is a sample script: 

I’m [YOUR NAME], a constituent and the director of [YOUR CAC’S NAME], which serves [AREA OR COUNTY OR TOWNS YOUR CAC SERVES] in your district. I am very concerned about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on vulnerable children who are more likely to be abused during social isolation. We are one of forty Children’s Advocacy Centers in Illinois, who together respond to more than 14,0000 cases of child sexual abuse and other maltreatment in Illinois annually. I am asking for you to support an appropriation in the state budget this year to ensure CACs can continue their essential work of protecting our most vulnerable. Thank you.

If you have questions, contact Julia Strehlow: JStrehlow@ChicagoCAC.org