PRANDI CENTER HONORS ADVOCATES

The Jeannette Prandi Children’s Center held its Children Champion Awards on May 8. The annual recognition ceremony lauds those who go above and beyond for the children of Marin. This year’s recipients are: • Donna Brickell – Marin County Sheriff’s Office • Yura Castillo – Community Violence Solutions • Cassandra Edwards – Marin County District Attorney’s Office • Thomas McCallister – Marin County District Attorney’s Office • Tony Milani, Children and Family Services • Sandra Ramirez-Griggs, Marin County Health and Human Services, Youth and Family Services • Ashley Schneider, Novato Police Department • Remington Stobo – San Rafael Police Department The Jeannette Prandi Children’s Center provides children who have been sexually abused, or suffered other forms of abuse, a safe environment in which they can be interviewed. The purpose of the center is to provide the setting for a coordinated and collaborative interview with the required agencies responding to an allegation related to the child victim. Investigators strive to gain a thorough understanding of what the child initially reported, while being sensitive to the difficulty the child has in recounting a disturbing event. “What I noticed about each person as they came up to receive their award was that they were humble and truly love their job,” said Melissa Prandi, president of Prandi Property Management and a Giving Marin Sponsor. “This is not an easy job — working with vulnerable children who have been abused, helping them through the trauma and more.” The center is named after Jeannette Prandi, the first female sergeant in Marin County law enforcement history. Sgt. Prandi was passionate about children and was an advocate for those who didn’t have positive adult relationships. To learn more information, visit prandicenter.org.