Former Miss America to share story for Gingerbread House luncheon

Jessica Miller has a saying:

“To handle yourself, use your head. To handle others, use your heart.”

“I keep this quote in mind as our team works some of the most difficult cases you can possibly imagine,” Miller, the executive director of the Gingerbread House, said. “So often, I’m reminded of how precious life is and how important it is to protect our loved ones, especially our children.”

The Gingerbread House Bossier/ Caddo Children’s Advocacy Center is a community-based, nonproft organization that began serving abused children in 1998.

In order to run efficiently and help abused children, the center will host its annual Partners in Prevention 2015 luncheon noon Oct. 14 at Sam’s Town Shreveport Hotel & Casino Grand Ballroom. “This is our major annual fundraiser, helping to provide critically needed funds for child victims of sexual and physical abuse in our community,” Miller said.

Keynote speaker for the event is Marilyn Van Derbur. A former Miss America, Van Derbur has stayed in the public spotlight for many years and became a coveted motivational speaker. At age 45, when her daughter began to experience puberty, Van Derbur experienced a break down of sorts, as buried memories and feelings of being sexually assaulted as a teenager came “raging out of her mind and body.”

After being hospitalized in a psychiatric ward, Van Derbur pleaded with therapists to find someone who had survived the same ordeal and was healed. No one was found.

Eventually, Van Derbur began to see the light, and she realized how important it was to help survivors overcome shame. She has since addressed 26 medical conferences, as well as countless victims with whom she could relate.

According to her biography, “Marilyn has been a positive force in America for 50 years. Her greatest contribution has come in her 60s as she has educated America on the long-term impact of sexual abuse and given survivors a road map for recovery.”

“[Gingerbread] handles the highest forensic interview caseload out of the 16 child advocacy centers in the state of Louisiana.”

Sponsorships and tickets for the luncheon are still available. Tickets are $125 per person; sponsorships are $1,500 per table for 10 and include a meet-and-greet reception with Van Derbur at 11 a.m. the day of the event. Other levels are available, such as $3,000 and $5,000 with additional perks. “The primary goal of the Partners in Prevention Luncheon is to raise awareness in our community about the services offered by the Gingerbread House for child victims of abuse,” Miller said. “Because of the multidisciplinary team approach utilized at the center, the likelihood of successful prosecution of offenders has increased dramatically.”

Last year’s luncheon was attended by more than 500 guests and raised more than $96,500 for abused children. The Gingerbread House services nine parishes, including Bossier, Webster, Caddo, Bienville, Claiborne, DeSoto, Natchitoches, Red River and Sabine. Agencies from these parishes work closely with the Gingerbread House to ensure victims only tell their stories once, and their testimonies will be admissible in court.

“The Gingerbread House handles the highest forensic interview case load out of the 16 child advocacy centers in the state of Louisiana,” Miller said. “Our mission is to lessen the trauma experienced by child abuse victims as allegations are investigated and to provide support for the child victim throughout the investigation, prosecution and treatment phases of cases.”

Statistics from 2014:

• 649 children received forensic interview, multidisciplinary investigations and family advocacy services, averaging 54 forensic interviews per month.

• 231 child victims and their non-offending caregivers received counseling services.

• As part of prevention efforts, more than 18,724 children and adults participated in educational outreach sessions.

• Thanks to generous donors, all services were offered free of charge to child victims of abuse and their families.