12:00: Lessons from the Epstein scandal
1:00: Dialogue on Disability -- After a challenging year for nonprofits, a focus on caregivers
Child abuse prevention experts say there's a lot to learn from the Epstein scandal. We sit down with Mary Whittier of The Child Advocacy Center of Greater Rochester (formerly Bivona Child Advocacy Center) for the hour. Whittier has spent more than three decades working to prevent child abuse and helping children heal from trauma. She helps us understand lessons from the Epstein case, how to hold people in power accountable when children are abused, and what support for survivors looks like. Our guest:
- Mary Whittier, interim CEO of The Child Advocacy Center of Greater Rochester
Then in our second hour, 2025 was a hard year for American nonprofits: roughly one in three lost some form of funding, and charitable giving wavered, given the uncertain economy. That has created a challenging environment for families of children with disabilities in the Greater Rochester region. In this Dialogue on Disability discussion, we explore what a local nonprofit is doing to sustain and grow — as demand grows for services. We also talk to parents who share personal stories. Our guests:
- Laura Arrington, director of training and workforce development at Starbridge, and parent of a child with a disability
- Kara Georgi, family education specialist at Starbridge
"Connections with Evan Dawson" is livestreamed each day on the WXXI News YouTube channel. Watch here.
