WOODBURY, TN - The Cannon County Child Advocacy Center was filled with Child Protective Investigative Team members, staff from non-profit agencies, local supporters, and our neighbors at the courthouse on Wednesday, January 29, 2020. They all stopped in to visit and say farewell to Cannon County Coordinator Cassell Galligan-Davis. Lunch was provided by the Child Advocacy Center staff and the delicious strawberry cake was from T Cakes Bakery & Café.

There were tears and hugs as we wished Davis the best in her new position as the Executive Director of the Warren County Child Advocacy Center. "The Child Advocacy Center Board of Directors, staff, and volunteers wish Cassell well in her new position," said Child Advocacy Center director Sharon De Boer, "We are confident that Cassell will be an outstanding director, but she will really be missed by all of us."

The Cannon County Child Advocacy Center was opened in the fall of 2007, with the leadership and support of the Honorable Judge Susan Melton, Catherine Player from Youth Services, Tony Burnett from law enforcement, and Peggy Bratcher and Melba Mooneyham from the Department of Children's Services. Davis was the fifth coordinator to serve Cannon County. She worked with the Cannon County Child Protective Investigative Team to assist child abuse victims, child sexual abuse victims, drug endangered children, and their non-offending parents and grandparents.

Davis believes that helping families in their time of need is the best opportunity to provide healing. When Davis came to the Child Advocacy Center the agency was serving a little over 100 children and families annually. Davis provided outstanding services to child abuse victims and within 3 years that number grew to 300 children and families annually.

"Davis is a well-respected social worker who has been providing crisis intervention services to children and families for 18 years," said De Boer. Before coming to the Child Advocacy Center she was employed by the Department of Children's Services, Friendship Home Health, and Health Connect. Davis is a Middle Tennessee State University graduate with a BS in Sociology and minors in Psychology and English.

In addition to her work experience in Cannon County, Davis has strong family ties in the community. Her husband Chad Davis works in Cannon County and his family calls Woodbury home. "As a result," continued De Boer, "Cassell Galligan-Davis deeply cares about Cannon County and provided services that enriched the lives of the families the Child Advocacy Center serves."

Eighty percent of the Child Advocacy Center's funding comes from grant sources, and the other 20% of funding comes from the generous Cannon County community. The Cannon County Coordinator position is funded by the Federal Victims of Crime Act grant, United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties, and the community support for the Cannon County Child Advocacy Center through fundraising events like Cannon Runs for Children, Summer Santa, and the annual fundraising letter.

"We are grateful for the local support that helped us hire a full-time Cannon County Coordinator to make a difference in the lives of the youngest and most vulnerable victims of crime in our community - child abuse victims," concluded De Boer.

For more information about the services to child abuse victims or if your family needs help, please contact the Cannon County Child Advocacy Center at (615) 563-9915, or visit the Child Advocacy Center website at www.cannoncac.org. All services are provided free of charge.