KNot Today says it’s not okay
Cases of sexual abuse and exploitation of children continues to skyrocket throughout the county. After having nearly a million cases filled in 2021 with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the number jumped to 29.3 million cases in 2022. One of Indiana’s organizations that is dedicated to fighting this continually growing problem is coming to Adams County to discuss their efforts.
Alyssa Van Vactor, the Executive Director of kNot Today will be giving a presentation at the Clocktower Inn Conference Center in Berne. The organization aims to create awareness, initiate prevention strategies, and develop innovative healing programs for victims of the abuse. Their goal is to create a world that protects and cherishes the innocence of every child.
The organization was founded in 2019 by, at the time, Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Frank Reich. The organization is supported by numerous faces from the NFL, including Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers, and Tony Dungy. While the organization addresses the problem in Indiana, they also do work in North Carolina, where Reich was recently hired to be the new head coach of the Panthers. Reich serves as the Vice President, while his wife, Linda, is the president.
In the three facets of their operations, they have made strides throughout the past couple years. They have held numerous presentations throughout the state educating individuals on the topic, they have made investments into law enforcement technology and assets such as K-9 officers to continue funding prevention, and they have
made numerous partnerships with other local nonprofits to work towards restorations.
Van Vactor joined kNot Today in June 2021. Before joining kNot Today, she spent seven years leading a nonprofit for struggling youth in the greater Indianapolis area. Through this experience she brings a background of marketing, sales, education, fundraising events, and nonprofit leadership. Prior to her career in nonprofits, Alyssa worked in elementary education for ten years. Van Vactor graduated from Ball State University with a degree in Education and Family Health and Wellness.
She will be discussing how human trafficking affects children, families, schools, and the community. There are guides available for parents that cover an overview of trafficking and abuse, discussion guides for them and their children, and guides on how to care for children who have been abused. These guides, as well as more information about kNot Today, is available at kNotToday.org.
The program is brought to the community by SAFE in Adams County, Adams Wells Crisis Center, Firefly Children and Family Alliance, and Adams County Healthy Families.