Sally H. Scherer
Founder, The Child’s Advocate
The Child's Advocate, based in Raleigh, provides free or low-cost legal representation for children in Wake County through a legal and mental-health partnership, an approach that has become the national standard to ensure no additional harm is done to the child, and that the child’s voice is heard. Currently, our resources are being used for children whose custody is at issue and children who are victims or witnesses in any Wake County legal proceeding.
Why did you get involved in charitable work?
Having practiced family law for almost 30 years and criminal law for 20, I became too aware of how much damage is done to children who have no voice in decisions that dramatically affect their lives, even though they have done nothing wrong. Being able to help children helps the whole community (by preventing truancy, mental health problems, future criminal behavior, etc.) and gives me a real sense of doing something positive that can make a tangible difference.
How does your charitable work affect you personally?
Helping a child get through and deal with trauma is extremely rewarding. Seeing these children happy makes me happy.
What are the "returns" for working in the charitable sector (personal, societal, monetary, etc.)?
The obvious "return" is feeling good about what I am doing and about myself.
How can charitable giving be improved?
I wish I knew how to improve charitable giving. Most people are too busy, too rushed, too "multi-tasking," or too overburdened by the economy even to live a "normal" life, much less give more in time or resources to charity.
What can nonprofits do to improve their fundraising or operations?
Again, I am trying to find ways to improve fundraising and operations. I have no answers.
How has your organization adapted in response to the recession?
We actually started when the recession started, so we have been "adapting" from the beginning.
What makes an effective leader?
An effective leader is someone who inspires, who teaches, who helps others grow.
