The Martin House Children’s Advocacy Center Breaks Ground

Longview, Texas (January 30, 2026) The Martin House Children’s Advocacy Center held a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, January 29, 2026, to signify the beginning of construction on a new facility to serve abused children and their families. Among those who were turning the ground was Roxanne Stevenson, CEO, Michael Clements, Jr., Capital Campaign Chair, Melanie Mathews, Board of Directors Chair, Judge Bill Stoudt, and Mayor Kristen Ishihara. Community supporters, Board of Directors, staff, local officials, and campaign committee members attended to support and learn about the campaign. According to Michael Clements, Jr., Capital Campaign Chair, the project goal for the building is $6,250,000, and 94% of the funds have already been committed.

The Martin House Children’s Advocacy Center is dedicated to children who have suffered physical and sexual abuse and exists to reduce the trauma through a collaborative effort of investigations and prosecutions to begin the healing process for the children and their families.

The center supports children in Gregg, Harrison, Marion, and Upshur Counties, twice as many counties as when the center opened in 2009.

 

The new, larger building will provide almost three times the space of the current facility to accommodate the growing need. The new space will enable The Martin House CAC to continue to serve children who have suffered the trauma of abuse in a child-friendly environment with increased confidentiality for the foreseeable future. The new facility will create child-friendly spaces more suitable for the specific services.  Among these are separate waiting areas for forensic and therapy clients as well as office space for staff and work areas for law enforcement and social services.

 

The community is invited to join this effort by contacting Kathy Rae at kathy@themartinhousecac.org for more information.

 

The Martin House Children’s Advocacy Center is the result of a remarkable collaboration and coalition of dedicated individuals and agencies that serve more than 900 children and their families each year. This partnership, combined with a generous outpouring of community support, has made the center a reality and children a priority. The center is one of 72 CACs in Texas and more than 800 across the U.S. dedicated to protecting our most vulnerable citizens: our children.

 

www.themartinhousecac.org