01 Dec Partner News: Exploited Children’s Help Organization (ECHO) Announces Partnership with Neighborhood Place, Bridges of Hope

In an effort to more effectively reach and serve abused and neglected children and youth in Metro Louisville and surrounding areas, ECHO (Exploited Children’s Help Organization) will become the newest Neighborhood Place partner and will be moving into the ‘Bridges of Hope’ location on Algonquin Parkway, effective December 1, 2015.

“This exciting partnership will allow us to work seamlessly with organizations with which we are already coordinating services, like JCPS, 7 Counties and the Department for Community Based Services (DCBS). It will provide exciting opportunities to collaborate and better serve the Metro Louisville families and children. The entire ECHO team is thrilled about this partnership and we think it will have big impacts on keeping kids safe in our community,” says Kendell Nash, ECHO’s Executive Director.

ECHO was founded in 1983 as an organized community response to the midday abduction of Ann Gotleib, who would be 44 years old today; she has never been found.  While stranger abductions are incredibly rare, ECHO’s work remains crucial, as we know:

• More than 5 children DIE every day in the US as a result of child abuse
• 1 in 10 kids will be sexually abused before they turn 18 years old
• 88% of sexual abuse cases are never reported to authorities
• in 2014, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services reported 9500 cases of substantiated child abuse, involving more than 15,000 children
• KY ranks 18th nationally in child abuse deaths

ECHO provides child abuse and human trafficking victim identification, prevention education for all ages, resources, direct court-based services, and support to families of missing and/or abused children.

ECHO’s new address, effective December 1, will be 1411 Algonquin Pkwy, Louisville, KY  40210.