The Child Advocacy Center (CAC) will celebrate its 18th annual signature fundraiser Thursday, Oct. 22, with a new theme, “Gainesville Gone Home,” honoring the communities, businesses and memories that make Alachua County home.
The event will take place from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at Santa Fe River Ranch (29220 NW 122nd St., Alachua), with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. Click here to purchase tickets or sponsorships.
After three years of a Wild West-themed fundraiser, the Child Advocacy Center is inviting the community to an evening of nostalgia, vintage photos and memories celebrating Gainesville and Alachua County.
A committee of volunteers, led by Beyond Expectations Event Planner Susan Emerson, planned the event. The evening will feature a sit-down dinner by Hill’s BBQ, signature drinks and a bourbon tasting by The Good Pour, music by Tom Collett of TDC Entertainment and the debut of CAC’s newest mission video, created by Merge Event Group.
A variety of items will be available through the event’s silent auction. An online auction will also be open to the public beginning at noon Sunday, Oct. 18, and continuing through 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23.
The fundraiser will support CAC’s mission of breaking the cycle of child abuse in Alachua County and providing children and families with services needed to heal from trauma and violence.
Since its inception in 1999, CAC has worked to create a compassionate community where children and families are supported as they heal from trauma and violence. The center works with partner agencies to provide a child-friendly, trauma-responsive environment where children can receive coordinated services during and after child abuse investigations.
In 2025, more than 5,000 cases of child abuse were reported in Alachua County, according to CAC. The organization said the cases represented about 10% of children in the community. The center served 4,482 children and caregivers last year.
CAC provides forensic interviews, advocacy and case management, therapy and case staffing reviews. Its multidisciplinary team includes social workers, counselors, law enforcement officers, state attorneys, victim advocates and medical professionals who work together to coordinate investigations and interventions.
The collaborative approach is designed to reduce the time children spend navigating the legal system, prevent additional trauma and connect children and their families with necessary support and services.
All proceeds from the fundraiser will directly support the CAC and its programs.
Sponsorship opportunities, tickets and silent auction donations are available through the event page on CAC’s website.