The Children's Center needs your help

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Nevada Daily Mail

As the center continues its progress toward building a new facility in Nevada, the recent announcement by the Missouri Department of Economic Development that it has awarded Neighborhood Assistance Program tax credits to the Children's Center of Southwest Missouri comes as a welcome boost, said Jeani Longstreth.

The tax credits will help fund the construction of a new child advocacy center in Vernon County.

The facility will enhance the response to suspected child abuse cases by maintaining focus on the child and helping to ensure that systems designed to protect children are able to do so effectively, said a press release from the center.

Curtis & Sons Realty has donated land for the construction of the new center.

The floor plan will require approximately 2,000-square feet of floor space and will provide an interior that can be sound proofed for forensic interviews of child abuse victims, medical facilities to be able to perform physical and sexual evaluations of children, adequate family rooms for advocacy services and limited laundry and kitchen facilities to be able to provide protection and decontamination services to children who may have been subjected to methamphetamine exposure.

This facility will be located in Vernon County and will primarily serve the children of Vernon, Barton, Cedar and Dade counties.

Other locations include centers in Joplin, Monett and Butler.

The NAP tax credits are available to any person or corporation with business income in the state of Missouri. Cash gifts of $1,000 and up, and stock gifts of 5,000 and up from eligible donors are provided a 70 percent tax credit on Missouri state taxes in addition to a federal charitable tax deduction.

Longstreth said she expects it will take about two years to sell all of the credits and build the center.

"There is a lot of paperwork involved so it will take some time. But we hope to sell all of them as soon as possible."

To be eligible for the tax credits, entities must be paying the business tax or a farm tax. Individuals, while not eligible for the tax credits, can also donate to the cause.

According to the release individual's donations will help provide services to child abuse victims and their families.

For additional information on the Neighborhood Assistance Program Tax Credits or to make a donation, contact Vickie Dudley, executive director, Children's Center, at 417-623-2292, or Longstreth at 417-448-9294.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: