Pat’s Place Child Advocacy Center is named in loving memory of Patricia “Pat” Wolfe, a tremendous child advocate for the Charlotte community who passed away on May 7, 2000. As a former juvenile court counselor, social worker, and case advocate, Pat was well-known for her passion in assisting children in need. She often used her own finances to help “her kids” buy food, clothing, access to daycare, and any other personal need. After more than 30 years of working with youth throughout Mecklenburg County, it was not uncommon for grown adults to call Pat or stop in to visit because they were so appreciative of the compassion she had shown for them as children. Prior to her sudden passing, Pat was involved in the planning process for opening an advocacy center in Charlotte that would assist children specifically involved in sexual abuse. Today, that center is known as Pat’s Place in honor of a woman who gave her all to ensure the safety and well-being of the children in our community. The idea for Pat’s Place Child Advocacy Center was incubated at the Council for Children (now Council for Children’s Rights) to address an acute problem faced by child victims of abuse in Charlotte. All too often, children with the courage to talk about the abuse they had experienced were expected to undergo repeated questioning about the most traumatic event in their lives. Pat’s Place was established to ensure that all the services a child and family needs (medical examinations, forensic interviewing, advocacy support) could occur in one location – a safe, nurturing, child-friendly environment, at no cost to a child’s family. Since opening with one staff member in 2005, Pat’s Place has experienced significant program growth and now employs 20 professionals with wide ranging expertise. The incredible support and generosity of community stakeholders have helped Pat’s Place achieve great things during its brief history:
PFO (Playing for Others) is a leadership training program that combines personal development, service and the arts to foster leaders who are confident, compassionate and creative.
Each year, our 9-month program brings together a diverse group of teens from across Charlotte to experience opportunities for learning, growth and personal transformation – not to mention dance parties, team competitions and a ton of fun.
PFO’s model for leadership training is rooted in our belief that personal development and self-awareness are key. Through building relationships with others who are different than we are, learning how to build a strong community and culture, expanding our comfort zones, and growing our confidence, we can become strong leaders of self and others.
Urban Ministries of Durham is the primary point of connection for those who are homeless, hungry, or in need in Durham. With the help of nearly 4,000 volunteers, countless donations from the community, and dedicated staff, we serve some 6,000 people each year who come seeking food, shelter, clothing, and supportive services. We are the primary public homeless shelter in Durham, and we welcome neighbors regardless of race, ethnicity, religious beliefs or non-faith, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. We provide immediate relief to those experiencing chronic or temporary homelessness and work with clients to end their homelessness as quickly and responsibly as possible. Last year, 118 people ended their homelessness at UMD.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals® (ASPCA®) was the first humane society to be established in North America and is, today, one of the largest in the world.
Our organization was founded on the belief that animals are entitled to kind and respectful treatment at the hands of humans and must be protected under the law. Headquartered in New York City, the ASPCA maintains a strong local presence, and with programs that extend our anti-cruelty mission across the country, we are recognized as a national animal welfare organization. We are a privately funded 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, and are proud to boast more than 2 million supporters across the country.
The ASPCA’s mission, as stated by founder Henry Bergh in 1866, is “to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States.”
Cassandra and Shane Cozzolino both were born into rescue. Shane’s mother is a lifelong Horse trainer and rescuer from the San Francisco Bay Area. Cassandra comes from a long line of animal lovers who always tried to help any animal in need that came across their path. So when these two met in 2008 its only natural that their love for rescuing truly blossomed! They started off helping animals they found or heard needed help in the central coast of California. When they decided to relocate to Mexico in 2017 they found an overwhelming amount of animals needing help. The rescued expanded from 1-5 animals in the begining to over 50 in our care by 2018. Cassandra realized she wanted to make the leap so in 2020 she gave up her full time job and immersed herself in the rescue full time. It quickly grew to over 100 animals in our care! In the Fall of 2020 Cassandra’s parents, Bob and Denise, came on full time as well! Finally Shane took the plunge in the Spring of 2021 and joined the crew full time! We now house and care for over 100 animals at any given time! Working together as a family is nothing new to us. Cassandra and her parents owned an automotive repair shop together for many years. But Bob suffered many health issues as he got older and could no longer work the demanding schedule needed to run the shop. So he and Denise retired, or so they thought. When they first had the opportunity to foster for the rescue they found the perfect thing to add enjoyment to their retirement! Their involvement grew daily and before they knew it they were taking the plunge to becoming fully involved in the rescue! While working with family can present its own challenges we have found that we all bring a unique perspective and skill set. So we refine, encourage, support, and correct each other to be our best versions of ourselves and in turn give every animal here our best!
Council for Children’s Rights protects and advances the legal rights and development of children through individual representation, community education, and by addressing community-wide issues through systems advocacy, research, and policy work.
We work to achieve equity of opportunity in medicine and equity of access to quality health care for all groups in American society by increasing the number of Black, Indigenous, People of Color physicians and changing the face of medicine to better reflect and serve our diverse nation.
We’re on a mission to end fistula globally, one woman at at time.
At its founding in 2000, Fistula Foundation supported only one hospital in Ethiopia. But we knew that there were at least a million women across Africa and Asia who were living in misery.
On February 27, 2009, we officially expanded our mission to fight fistula globally. A decade out—because of exceptional support from people like you—we are helping more than 15 times as many women as we were in 2009.
Today, we are the undisputed leader in fistula treatment, with no other organization helping more women in more places, and our path-breaking treatment networks in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, and Zambia are thriving.
In recent years, we are increasingly finding and treating women suffering from severe perineal tears, a childbirth injury that leaves a woman incontinent of feces. Today helping women with this devastating condition accounts for approximately 20% of the repair surgeries we provide.
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