FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 15, 2004

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The New York Branch of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC/NY) today unveiled a $1.5 million addition to its headquarters at 275 Lake Avenue in Rochester. The enhanced space provides a culmination of child services that is unprecedented in Rochester, including the Bivona Child Advocacy Center (BCAC), a new partner agency for the 20-year-old NCMEC/NY.

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The additional physical resources allow NCMEC/NY to offer expanded case management services, enhanced law enforcement training, continued prevention education and comprehensive sexual abuse services for children via the BCAC.

Renovations on the NCMEC/NY office space began in December when officials broke ground on the construction of a 3,500 square foot addition to the Branch. Funding for the renovations on the NCMEC/NY building was gathered, in part, via an ongoing $2 million capital campaign, which includes major donations from local business people, politicians and community members. Some of the individuals who provided funds include local philanthropists Wanda Polisseni, Tom Golisano, Lana Blossom and State Senator Joseph Robach.

The BCAC, operational as of today, provides a location in Rochester for abused children to meet with representatives from local Child Protective Services, law enforcement, the District Attorney’s office, mental health professionals, victim advocates and medical providers from Golisano Children’s Hospital at Strong in one place at one time. There are currently 22 Child Advocacy Centers across New York State. Until now, Rochester was the single largest community in New York without this resource.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Alexandria, Va., was established in 1984 as a public-private partnership to help find missing children and combat child sexual exploitation. It has assisted local law-enforcement agencies on more than 87,000 missing child cases, helping to reunite more than 71,000 children with their families. Today, the organization reports a 94 percent recovery rate. For more information about NCMEC, call 585-242-0900, or visit www.missingkids.com.

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