GREENFIELD — Entering the Greenfield Community College Dining Commons on Friday, the more than 200 attendees of the annual Help, Hope and Healing Breakfast were greeted by 158 T-shirts suspended throughout the room, representing each child served by the Children’s Advocacy Center of Franklin County and North Quabbin over the past year.

The annual breakfast provided an opportunity to share stories of hope and healing, as well as information about the services the Children’s Advocacy Center offers and how the community can help support the agency’s mission.

Executive Director Jeffrey Trant provided an overview of the new location the Children’s Advocacy Center is opening later this year in Orange and discussed the enhanced trauma-focused mental health services that are being offered. Abby Bliss, family advocate at the Children’s Advocacy Center, served as the breakfast’s keynote speaker. A survivor of childhood sexual abuse herself, Bliss gave a speech on the impact of sexual abuse, the imperative of believing victims, and the importance of giving a voice to survivors of abuse, exploitation and assault.

Three awards were given to community leaders at the breakfast. Trant presented Jennifer Gagne with the Volunteer of the Year Award, recognizing the significant impact she has made at the Children’s Advocacy Center as one of the organization’s longest-serving volunteers in education and training.

Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan presented assistant district attorneys Anne Yereniuk and Stephanie Jimenez of the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office Child Protective Unit with the Heroes of Justice Award for their work prosecuting two high-profile child abuse cases, one of which resulted in a life sentence. Sullivan also presented Detective Tucker Jenkins of the Shelburne Police Department with the Champion of Children Award for his work as Mohawk Trail Regional School District’s school resource officer and a local coach.

The morning closed with a performance by children from the Ja’Duke Center for the Performing Arts.

Nearly $50,000 was raised at the breakfast to support the mission and work of the Children’s Advocacy Center. Trant said in an interview that the inaugural breakfast was held in 2014, and this year’s fundraiser raised the most money of any breakfast to date. Friday’s fundraiser brought in roughly 16% more money than the 2023 event.