HCA Florida Ocala Hospital colleagues help abused or neglected children with donation to Kimberly's Center for Child Protection

The council held fundraisers including a recent hotdog lunch and collected donations from members to purchase the supplies. 

“We selected Kimberly's Center because we wanted to help a local agency that supports kids in crisis and because we believe in their mission,” said Nichole Pedrick, a clinical support resource nurse at HCA Florida Ocala Hospital and a member of the UBC. “We wanted to focus on donating back-to-school and personal hygiene supplies due to the upcoming school year starting.”

Dawn Westgate, executive director of Kimberly’s Center, noted, “At Kimberly’s Center, we know that it takes a community working together to protect and advocate for children who have experienced trauma. HCA Florida Ocala Hospital’s partnership, through this fundraiser and donation, is a powerful example of what that looks like in action. We are so thankful for their continued support, which helps ensure the children we serve feel seen, valued, and ready to learn. Thank you, HCA Florida Ocala Hospital!”

Kimberly's Center provides a safe haven for children involved in an abusive situation and then assists law enforcement in prosecuting the abusers. The organization’s counselors conduct forensic interviews of the abused children and arrange medical examinations for them by highly trained specialists to mitigate any further emotional trauma that may be caused by the children’s participation in law enforcement investigations.

According to its 2023-24 Annual Impact Report, Kimberly’s Center served 1,283 children last year and conducted 2,150 therapy sessions to help children overcome the trauma of abuse or neglect. Roughly 32% of those children had suffered sexual abuse, while another 21% had been victims of physical abuse — the top two reasons children arrived at Kimberly’s Center. Overall, 59% of Kimberly’s Center’s clients were under age 10 in 2024.