Thursday, February 09, 2006
Children's Advocacy Center Selects Contractor for New Building

At the February board meeting of the Williamson County Children's Advocacy Center (Center), J. Jacobs Commercial, LP ( www.jacobshomes.com ) was chosen as the contractor for construction of the new building for the nonprofit Center. The company is owned by Jimmy Jacobs, who has earned an outstanding reputation in Williamson County by building custom homes. Jacobs is donating the construction management costs.

"We are proud to announce that Jimmy Jacobs and his employees have been chosen to build a new safe place for children to report abuse," said District Attorney John Bradley, who serves as the president of the Board of Directors for the Center. Mr. Jacobs has a long list of satisfied customers and a history of contributing to this community that impressed the Board. Among other community work, Jacobs has built homes for Habitat for Humanity.

The Center is currently located at 406 W. University but has grown too small for the growing number of children reporting abuse and needing counseling and medical services. Last year, the Center saw over 350 children, up from nearly 100 children seen when the Center opened its doors in 1998. The Center houses forensic interviewers who videotape interviews of children and work with law enforcement and caseworkers to protect the children.

The new Center will be located on the Inner Loop at the edge of Georgetown, near the Juvenile Justice Center, on 10 acres of land donated by the Williamson County Commissioners Court. The Board has been working with architect John Moman of Moman Architects ( www.momanarch.com ) in Round Rock on the design of a 7,500 square foot home that will house WCCAC's executive director and employees- Moman is donating his services, estimated at over $30,000.

With the additional room, the Center can provide office space for investigators and caseworkers, add a medical exam room for nurse examiners and expand counseling and volunteer services. "We are designing and building a Center to serve Williamson County children for the next 10-20 years," said Bradley. "But now we faced the donations of generous Williamson County citizens to begin construction." The total cost of the construction is estimated at one million dollars. For additional information, go to www.wilcocac.org or contact the Capital Campaign Chair, Sha Embree at 512-657-6077.

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