Northwest CASA Announces First Ever Film and Wine Festival on April 25

Community residents are invited to help make history with the staff and friends of Northwest Center Against Sexual Assault (NWCASA) at the inaugural Northwest CASA Film and Wine Festival on Thursday, April 25 at 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The Film and Wine Festival fund-raising event will be held at the Buffalo Grove Park District Community Arts Center, 225 McHenry Rd, Buffalo Grove IL. For more information and to purchase tickets visit: https://secure.givelively.org/event/northwest-center-against-sexual-assault/northwest-casa-film-and-wine-festival-2024

“Join in this momentous occasion and be part of a groundbreaking event celebrating film, community, and support for survivors,” said Carrie Estrada, Executive Director, Northwest CASA, based in Arlington Heights with a satellite office located in McHenry.

“Attendees will enjoy an evening of cinema created by women, about women, yet for all to enjoy. This selection of diverse short films was carefully chosen by the dedicated Northwest CASA team who support survivors in your community every day,” Estrada added.

Admission tickets ($75.00 each) grant access to all film screenings, hors d’oeuvres, wine, a silent auction, spirited intermissions, and immeasurable inspiration. All event proceeds support the Northwest Center Against Sexual Assault’s mission in the community to empower individuals impacted by sexual harm and engage communities to end sexual violence.

For additional information contact Kristen Barry at Northwest CASA with any event questions at kbarry@nwcasa.org. Or Visit www.nwcasa.org

NWCASA Event Hosted During Sexual Assault Awareness Month

The month of April is “Sexual Assault Awareness Month” and is important for raising awareness about the prevalence of sexual violence, empowering survivors to share their stories, promoting prevention efforts, advocating for policy change, fostering community engagement, and highlighting support services, like Northwest CASA, for survivors. It serves as a crucial platform for education, empowerment, and action against sexual violence.

NWCASA’s Need for Funding as Critical as Ever

Estrada points out, “We need our community to know it was February 2023 we found out the devastating news that one of our largest federal grants funding sexual assault services in Illinois received a statewide cut of $9 MILLION.

“The demand for our services is too great to lose local resources when we already have a growing waitlist for counseling services and our advocates are working around the clock. We receive hundreds of hotline calls a year, and last year we were dispatched to the hospital for medical advocacy 395 times.

“Now is not the time for our community to lose these critical resources,” Estrada emphasized. “The funding deficit and resulting reduction of needed services directly harms survivors impacted by sexual violence which will impact the local community.”

About NWCASA: 24/7 Crisis Hotline: 888-802-8890

Northwest Center Against Sexual Assault (NWCASA) is the only comprehensive sexual assault agency that provides free services to survivors of sexual harm and their loved ones within the North and Northwest suburbs of Cook County and McHenry County. NWCASA has been responding to the needs of survivors of sexual violence and their significant others for more than 40 years. NWCASA is a not-for-profit 501 c (3) organization.

A 24 hour/seven day a week sexual assault trauma crisis hotline is available: 888-802-8890. NWCASA is a governing body member of the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault.

For more information and to donate, visit www.nwcasa.org

For further information contact: Carrie Estrada, Executive Director at cestrada@nwcasa.org or call 847-806-6526 extension 140. Mailing address: NWCASA, 415 West Golf Road, Suite 47, Arlington Heights, IL.