James M. Barrie Center for Children

08/28/2026

🏗 🚧 “Building Brighter Futures” is this year’s campaign theme for United Way of Etowah County, and the campaign kickoff was a tremendous success!
We are excited to celebrate that $400,404 has already been pledged in donations toward making a difference in our community.
👨‍⚖️ Honorable Scott Hassell provided wonderful inspiration and encouragement as we kicked off this important campaign. His words reminded us of the power we have when we come together to invest in the future of our community.
🏠 The Barrie Center is proud to be a partner agency of United Way of Etowah County. Their support helps make it possible for organizations like ours to continue providing hope, healing and justice to children and families in our community.
💙 We encourage you to consider supporting United Way of Etowah County and helping us Build Brighter Futures, together! Every contribution makes a difference. 💙

08/28/2026

💙 The James M. Barrie Center for Children appreciates the continued support of the Alabama Department of Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention - Children’s Trust Fund of Alabama and their ongoing funding for 2026-2027 for our "Pinwheels for Prevention" program.

💙 Through "Pinwheels for Prevention", The Barrie Center provides child abuse prevention education and awareness throughout Etowah County. This funding allows us to reach schools, churches, daycare providers, colleges, law enforcement, parents, educators and community members with information that can help keep children safe.

💙 Our prevention education covers important topics including mandatory reporting, recognizing the signs and symptoms of child abuse, online solicitation, child trafficking, internet safety and trauma informed responses. As Etowah County’s Children’s Advocacy Center, The Barrie Center brings firsthand knowledge and experience to these conversations. We understand how children can be targeted, abused and exploited, and we use that experience to help adults better recognize risks and know how to respond.

💙 We appreciate the Children’s Trust Fund of Alabama for recognizing the importance of prevention and investing in efforts that help protect children before abuse happens.

💙 Every pinwheel represents a commitment to childhood, prevention and the belief that every child deserves the opportunity to grow up safe.

💙 Thank you for helping us educate our community, spread awareness and continue our work to promote hope, healing and justice for children throughout Etowah County.

08/27/2026

💙 Thank You, Bash In The Bend! 💙

We are grateful to Bash in the Bend for their incredible and generous contribution to The Barrie Center from the proceeds of this year’s event!

This gift is a wonderful example of what can happen when our community comes together with a common purpose. The support from Bash in the Bend will help us continue providing the services and resources children and families need as they navigate some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

We are thankful to everyone who helped make Bash in the Bend such a success, from the organizers and sponsors to the volunteers and everyone who came out to support the event. Your generosity is making a difference right here in Etowah County.

Thank you for choosing to invest in the work of The Barrie Center and, most importantly, in the children we serve. We are so grateful to have you in our corner! 💙

08/21/2026

It was such an honor to welcome Congressman Mike Rogers and Sheri Rollins to The Barrie Center this week! 💙

Our Executive Director, Patricia Falcon, along with members of our board and staff, had the opportunity to give them a tour of the center and discuss the important work we do for children and families in our community.

Of course, no visit to The Barrie Center would be complete without introducing them to our favorite four legged team member, Kuzco!🐾 Congressman Rogers learned about the important role Kuzco has with the children we serve, including during forensic interviews, therapy sessions and even in the courtroom. He truly has a special way of helping children feel more comfortable and supported during what can be a very difficult time.

We are grateful for the opportunity to share our mission and give Congressman Rogers and Sheri a closer look at the work happening every day at The Barrie Center. It was a pleasure having them both with us and we appreciate their interest in the children and families we serve.

Together, we will continue working to promote hope, healing and justice for children who have experienced abuse. 💙
Alabama Network of Children's Advocacy Centers, Inc. (ANCAC)

08/07/2026

💙 Thank you for touring our center and learning about our services. We had a great time with this group from Family Savings. 💙

08/06/2026

Thank you to our Alabama Network of Children's Advocacy Centers, Inc. (ANCAC) state director, Lynn Bius, for this informative and critical piece demonstrating the need for continued funding of children's advocacy centers. Alabama is proud to have the first children's advocacy center in the country!

The James M. Barrie Center for Children is proud to have served Etowah County for 23 years and we have an amazing multi disciplinary team working to provide hope, healing and justice! We need diversified funding sources from federal, state and local partners to continue to provide services! Talk to your legislative members, city councils and mayors! Schedule a tour of the Barrie Center! Learn what you can do in our community to protect children! 💙🩵💙

Congress now faces a straightforward choice: allow funding cuts to continue eroding the services that help abused children heal and bring offenders to justice, or pass bipartisan legislation that will preserve them for the families who need them most.

08/04/2026

💙 Thank you Etowah County Schools for your leadership and your investment in the students and families you serve. We look forward to continuing our partnership and making a positive impact together. 💙

08/03/2026

✨️ Last week, our Executive Director, Patricia Falcon, had the privilege of speaking with a group at White Springs Baptist Church about the services The Barrie Center provides to the children and families of Etowah County.
✨️ We are incredibly grateful for their generosity through donations of much needed office supplies and a monetary gift to support our mission. Thank you to Bobbie Keenum for the kind invitation and warm hospitality.
✨️ The afternoon was made even more special with a time of fellowship and uplifting gospel music performed by a talented quartet. We truly enjoyed spending time with such a caring and supportive group.
✨️ Thank you, White Springs Baptist Church, for partnering with us to bring hope, healing and justice to children in our community. 💙
Alabama Department of Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention

07/29/2026

🎨🎭 Recently, some of the children we serve had the opportunity to attend Summer Art Camp at the GMA: Gadsden Museum of Art and what an incredible experience it was!

This year's theme, "Celebrating America's 250th Birthday," inspired campers to create amazing works of art featuring the American flag, a majestic eagle, a copper penny, the Statue of Liberty, and the Liberty Bell.

A heartfelt thank you to Ray Wetzel, Executive Director of the Gadsden Museum of Art, along with the dedicated volunteers who generously shared their time, talents and resources to make this special experience possible. Because of your kindness, our children were able to express their creativity, have fun and make memories that will last a lifetime.

We are so grateful for community partners who invest in the lives of children and help create moments of joy and healing through the arts. 💙