Community Foundation Executive Director Clayton Boyles details future, positive community impact of Center on Fifth

By Kris Norton

Jasper - Wednesday, Dubois County Community Foundation announced a $560,000 grant for a new child advocacy center, Center on Fifth, in Dubois County.

The center, operated by Southwestern Indiana Child Advocacy Center Coalition (SWICACC), will be stationed in the former Fifth Street Elementary School property. The school building was donated by the Greater Jasper Consolidated School District earlier this year.

The child advocacy center will be a centrally located, child-friendly, facility that investigates allegations of child abuse and neglect.

"It is a very tough and, honestly, disgusting thing that happens in society," said Community Foundation Executive Director Clayton Boyles. "I'm so glad that SWICACC and the child advocacy center, and those in the community that invested in this, and will invest in this, see the need to come in and help."

The Community Foundation's $560,000 grant, the foundation's largest ever, covers a large portion of the $1.1 million fundraising goal to renovate the former Fifth Street Elementary.

"We're getting them halfway home," said Boyles. "We felt that it was the right timing for the Community Foundation to rally, and come around the child advocacy center."

The future Center on Fifth will cover Dubois and surrounding counties.

The Southwestern Indiana Child Advocacy Center Coalition is accepting donations at SWICACC.com.

The full conversation with Dubois County Community Foundation Executive Director Clayton Boyles is available here: