Alliance For Children, the children’s advocacy center serving all of Tarrant County, broke ground on October 28 on an expansion of its original location near downtown Arlington. The planned 24,000-square-foot addition and remodel of the building at 1320 W. Abram St. is the nonprofit’s first step toward extending the network of tailormade healing and support services provided to child abuse victims and their protective families.

Julie Evans, Alliance For Children’s Chief Executive Officer, said the expansion will allow for enhanced security measures, technology upgrades and more space to accommodate the growing staff and partnerships working these cases of child abuse. The project, scheduled for completion in fall/winter 2022, is part of the nonprofit’s $15.8 million Rebuilding Lives capital campaign, which also encompasses its Fort Worth and Northeast locations, to continue meeting the growing needs of Arlington and the surrounding community, including Kennedale, Grand Prairie, Mansfield, Dalworthington Gardens, and other neighboring cities.

During Thursday’s groundbreaking ceremony, the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation announced a $1.25 million grant in support of the Arlington project.

 “The generous gift of $1.25 million from the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation not only completed essential funding for the Arlington expansion of our three-phase capital campaign, but is providing an opportunity for us to better serve child abuse victims in the greater Arlington area for years to come,” Evans said. “We are incredibly honored and grateful for the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation’s support of not only this project, but for the partnership in allowing Tarrant County child abuse victims to heal, yesterday, today, and tomorrow.”

 In addition to Arlington Tomorrow Foundation’s gift, the City of Arlington provided the land for the expansion and awarded the project $1 million in Community Development Block Grant funding to assist with building costs.

 “The City of Arlington is proud to be a long-time partner with the Alliance For Children, and we are grateful for the many valuable services this nonprofit provides at no cost to victims of child abuse and their family members, here in Arlington and across Tarrant County,” said Arlington Mayor Jim Ross, who is president of the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation Board of Directors. “We know that child abuse is a community issue—one that takes all of us working together to make protecting children a priority. The Arlington Tomorrow Foundation supports this vision, and today we are pleased to announce a generous gift to help the Alliance For Children continue its tremendous work through its Rebuilding Lives Capital Campaign.”

 Arlington-based LBL Architects Inc. is providing architectural services and Hutcherson Construction, Inc. is serving as the general contractor.

 At its Arlington location, Alliance For Children staff co-locates with the Crimes Against Children Unit of the Arlington Police Department and investigators with the Department of Family & Protective Services. Through this multi-disciplinary teamed approach, the organization proactively investigates and provides healing for victims of child abuse in the greater Arlington area. This model is replicated in both Fort Worth and in Hurst serving the Northeast portion of Tarrant County—all services to victims are completely free of charge. The agency has an additional counseling center in Lakeside serving the Northwest portion of Tarrant County.

 Arlington Chief of Police Al Jones remarked, “The expansion of the Alliance For Children facility in Arlington will help victimized children and their loved ones take steps toward receiving the support, healing and justice they deserve. I know for a fact that the current facilities are challenged for space and resources, and this expansion will ensure our community is able to efficiently receive important and urgently needed services for many years to come.”

 Alliance For Children is the only Tarrant County non-profit organization directly involved in protecting children from child abuse through coordinated and teamed investigations with 31 local law enforcement agencies, Cook Children’s Healthcare System, JPS Health Network, the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office, Tarrant County Juvenile Services, and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

 Sharen Wilson, Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney, added, “Alliance For Children is a trusted, essential partner in our pursuit of justice for Tarrant County child abuse victims. Their resources and expertise are critical to serving our young victims, and we are proud to work with them as part of our multidisciplinary teamed response to crimes of child abuse. I support the expansion of Alliance For Children’s investigative centers to meet the needs of our growing population and our most vulnerable victims.”

 In addition to the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation and the City of Arlington, special thanks to these financial supporters: Amon G. Carter Foundation; Bird Family Foundation; BNSF Railway Foundation; Leo Potishman Foundation; JE and LE Mabee Foundation; Ann L. and Carol Green Rhodes Charitable Trust; Sid W. Richardson Foundation; Star Telegram Employees Fund; The Sunderland Foundation; Vestal B. Sanders Charitable Trust; The Alexander Family.

 About Alliance for Children

 Alliance For Children is the children’s advocacy center serving all of Tarrant County. Since 1992, more than 60,000 children have benefited from Alliance For Children's teamed investigations and coordinated approach. The nonprofit organization operates child-friendly centers located in Arlington, Fort Worth and Northeast Tarrant County with additional counseling locations in Arlington, Northeast and Northwest Tarrant County. Its mission is to protect Tarrant County children from child abuse through teamed investigations, healing services and community education. Alliance For Children is a fully accredited member of the National Children's Alliance®, a membership association of over 700 children's advocacy centers and is a founding member of Children's Advocacy Centers™ of Texas.