KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Dozens of people walked and ran around the Urban Youth Academy and Gregg/Klice Community Center in Kansas City, Missouri, before work Tuesday to support The Children’s Place.
Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker organized the event in recognition of National Crime Victims Week. Registration fees from each participant went directly to The Children’s Place.
“I think physical activity is a great way to address trauma, healing and restore people,” said Peters Baker, who is an avid runner.
The Children’s Place is a Kansas City-based nonprofit which operates a trauma treatment center for children who’ve been the victim of abuse or another crime. Their goal is to serve the mental and emotional well being of children during their most vulnerable times.
“When a young brain experiences these big traumas it changes their ability to relate to others, to engage in relationships, and to feel that the world is safe; that truth has been violated,” explained Ann Thomas, president and CEO of The Children’s Place. “A place like The Children’s Place changes that repatterning and shows them the world does care for them. It gives them the tools they need to be successful and thriving adults.”
Thomas said more important than raising money, Tuesday’s event was a show of force, proving the community does care for crime victims, who are sometimes lost in the judicial process.
Peters Baker’s office has victim advocates and a “caring for crime survivors” program to help with minor homes repairs, cleanup, or shelter after a crime.
