About The Amy Center

The Amy Schulz Child Advocacy Center is a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization that is part of a network of 41 child advocacy centers (CAC's) ensuring every abused child in Illinois has every available resource for hope, healing, and justice. 

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We were founded in 1990 by Dennis Schulz, in memory of his precious daughter, Amy. When Amy was just 10-years-old, while out looking for her dog to come home for dinner one summer evening, she was abducted from her own Kell neighborhood (in Marion County, IL), sexually assaulted, and murdered. After Amy’s death, Dennis learned that nearly half a million children are reported as victims of sexual abuse each year. He wanted to take his family’s tragedy and turn it into something that made a positive difference for his community and for the parents who still have the ability to find healing for their children. 

 

The Amy Center serves seven Southern Illinois counties (Jefferson, Marion, Washington, Wayne, Hamilton, Clinton, & Clay) and is providing a safe place for children who are victims of sexual abuse, severe physical abuse, or have witnessed violent trauma. Our main office is in Mt. Vernon and our satellite office is located in Carlyle. The board, staff and multi-disciplinary team members work together to provide intervention, prevention, education and advocacy services for the best interest of abused children. 

 

Services to child abuse victims and non-offending family members are provided free of charge. Consequently, the agency relies completely on donations, grants, and sponsorships for funding.