An Important Leadership Update

After more than 12 years with Canopy Center, including five years as Executive Director, Meaghan Henry has made the difficult decision to leave Canopy Center and pass the torch.

In her letter to the Canopy Center community, she reflects on her time as a volunteer advocate, CASA Program Director, and Executive Director, and shares gratitude for the staff, volunteers, board members and community partners who have helped shape Canopy Center’s work.

“Being trusted by the community, the staff, and the Board of Directors, to be the person at the helm for these past years has been a real honor,” Meaghan shared.

Throughout her time at Canopy Center, she saw how we, as a community and as systems, show up for kids and families. "The reason a child may need our services, and what they need from our services, varies. Being able to provide individualized care matters." 

We are grateful for Meaghan’s leadership, heart and dedication. Her work has helped strengthen the agency, support children and families through moments of crisis and change, and position Canopy Center for continued impact in the years ahead.

Meaghan will remain with Canopy Center through the fall to support a thoughtful leadership transition. 

Playhouses for a Purpose Recap

The weather may have changed our plans, but we are still so excited about the support this fundraiser brought in and for the kids who are about to be the talk of their neighborhood as these one-of-a-kind playhosues find their new homes! 

Watch this video to see the winning tickets being drawn! 

We are so grateful to everyone who helped bring this new fundraiser to life!

A special thank you to TJK Design Build, Advanced Building Corporation, and W.E. Davies + Sons Handyman Services for creating three incredible custom playhouses for us to raffle off. 

Proceeds from Playhouses for a Purpose support our programs and help keep services accessible for children and families impacted by abuse and neglect.

Supporting a Teen Impacted by Trafficking and How It Changed Our Response

Through Canopy Center’s CASA program, we train volunteer advocates to walk alongside children who have experienced abuse or neglect to ensure their best interests are represented in system decisions. Some volunteers serve for a season and others, like Brianna, help shape the work itself. 

Brianna began as a CASA volunteer in 2017 and in 2022, she joined our staff as a CASA Case Coordinator, where her role shifted from volunteer advocacy to supporting other volunteer advocates through training, guidance and when necessary, in the work and by attending court hearings. 

But it was one teen who changed the trajectory of her work and subsequently, our work entirely.

Brianna worked with a teen we’ll call Sam, as a volunteer advocate. Sam’s circumstances were unstable and constantly changing.  Brianna showed up with consistency, humor and presence and over time Sam learned she could count on Brianna to be there.

What Brianna would later learn is that Sam was experiencing sex trafficking.

When people think of sex trafficking, they often associate it with youth being kidnapped or going missing. But most young people who are being trafficked still attend school, live in our communities, and maintain outward routines that can mask profound harm.

Traffickers are not always strangers. In fact, they’re usually people who appear to be helpers, friends, or trusted adults. Grooming can be subtle, gradual, and deeply confusing - making it difficult for outsiders to recognize and even harder for a young person to name.

This complexity can lead to misunderstanding, and too often, blame is placed on the youth rather than the adult exploiting them.

Brianna learned everything she could to better support Sam. And then she took what she learned and applied it to the other children and youth CASA serves. She noticed patterns. She identified risk factors. She started recognizing warning signs that might otherwise have been missed in busy systems. And she realized Sam’s experience was not isolated.

Save the Date for Kid’s Fest at AtwoodFest

We’re backkkkkkk! Well, we will be!

Canopy Center is excited to once again host Kid’s Fest at AtwoodFest for the third year in a row. This free, family-friendly event is open to the entire community, and we can’t wait to see you there!

July 25-26
Saturday | 12-5pm & Sunday | 12-4pm
📍Corner of Atwood Ave. & Rusk St.

Learn more on the AtwoodFest website, watch our socials for updates, and we hope you’ll join us for fun crafts, bubbles and a few surprise guest appearances!