About Voices of Change 2018

Nicole Moehring and her daughter Maci founded voices of Change 2018 ("VOC18"). The passion and drive behind starting this organization came after Maci and her brother Evan, who was diagnosed with Fragile X Syndrome, Autism, and two heart conditions, were both unfortunate victims of sexual abuse and assault.

VOC18 is different from other organizations like Autism Speaks, The Upside of Downs, or United Cerebral Palsy because it is not focused on a specific disability. Instead, it helps people with cognitive, intellectual, and physical disabilities, regardless of their race, religion, ethnicity, or gender identity. The organization also helps the families and guardians of these individuals.

Nicole never realized how vulnerable her son was to abuse because no one talks about the statistics, and there is very little preventive education for individuals with disabilities. Nicole believes that with proper education, she and her family would be better prepared and able to help her son.

Nicole believed that her son's disability made him lose his rights. He faced discrimination from those who were supposed to protect him, and his voice was NEVER heard. She felt alone in her search for justice and resources to help her son recover, as well as support their family.

Individuals with disabilities who have been victims of abuse/assault need a voice, advocates, and preventive education, along with education on the next steps, access to support systems and recovery.

THE VISION
Voices of Change 2018 is establishing a strong network by working closely with educators, county boards of developmental disabilities, mental health and medical professionals, law enforcement, and other related organizations.

This initiative aims to champion the rights of individuals with cognitive, intellectual, and developmental disabilities by promoting awareness, providing education, and offering essential resources.

THE MISSION
To reduce the risk of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of individuals with cognitive, developmental, and intellectual disabilities.

In the United States, there are approximately 74,234,075children under 18. Of those, 4.3% or 3,192,062 have a disability. According to The US Children’s Bureau estimates, 678,000, or 21.2% of children, were determined to be victims of abuse or neglect in 2018.

Worldwide, there are 1.3 billion children under the age of 18. Assuming the same rate as the United States, there are 55.9 million children under the age of 18 with disabilities. Therefore, worldwide, there are 11,850,000 children with disabilities being abused.

It is suspected that the rate of child abuse and neglect is at least three (3) times higher in children with disabilities than in their typically developing peers.

However, due to underreporting, it’s challenging to know the actual numbers of how many individuals with disabilities have been victims of abuse or neglect.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that 91% of the time, children are abused by someone known and trusted by the child or the child’s family members.

If your child, step-child, grandchild, niece, nephew, or child you knew was disabled and you found out he/she was abused, would you sit back and be able to stay silent or allow the abuse to continue?

This is a global systemic health epidemic, one that needs to be addressed NOW!

Children with disabilities can place higher emotional, economic, physical, and social demands on their families. Which often leads to multiple caregivers caring for them. The child may have contact with numerous individuals, increasing the opportunity for abuse. The presence of various caregivers can either increase or decrease the risk of abuse of children with disabilities. However, advantages to having a large number of caregivers are that more individuals may detect the injuries or signs of abuse, and the additional assistance may decrease the amount of stress placed on the primary caregivers. Risk may be minimized by careful screening and selection of caregivers, sporadic and unscheduled monitoring of care, and recognizing that any child may become a victim of child abuse and neglect.

Children with Disabilities are particularly vulnerable to being abused due to:

Conditioned compliance due to the need for interventions
Frequent separation from typical peers
Increased exposure to multiple adults and caregivers
Lack of education in body awareness and boundaries
Limited verbal communication and vocabulary
Many people have a preconceived notion that individuals with disabilities are asexual or nonsexual
Parents of children with disabilities often feel so anxious when it comes to their children growing up and having relationships
Reliance on helpers for personal and physical needs
Societal expectations that children with disabilities are extremely friendly to all people, even strangers
Strong desire for attention = vulnerability to manipulation

Many families live in denial, as our founder, Nicole, did, thinking, “It will never happen to my child because he/she has a disability.” Because of a lack of education, parents do not know how to talk to their children about body safety, secrets vs. surprises, good touches vs. bad touches, boundaries, caring adults, etc. As parents, we provide the foundation for body safety and healthy relationships, tailoring the conversations to our child’s cognition level. It can not be a one-and-done conversation. Conversations need to happen on an ongoing basis.

Even with education and increased awareness, abuse of children with disabilities is still extremely difficult to talk about. As a society, we need to be able to speak openly about abuse to end the stigma, reduce the risk, and protect our innocent children. We no longer live in a world where silence is an option for any systemic issue. It's our responsibility to protect our children. Change needs to start at home.

Most people think it will never happen to their child or loved one, but abuse does not discriminate. Raising a child with a disability is already challenging, and abuse makes things so much more complicated.

Our family went through this. We should have had access to support and services, but we didn’t. We should have been supported, but we weren't. We felt the devastation and never want anyone else to feel that way.

We have built a foundation from our lived experience by providing:

1. Preventative education for individuals with disabilities, their parents, guardians, medical and mental health professionals, and law enforcement

2. Guidance, resources, and support for victims and their families

Nicole Moehring, Founder Maci Lynch, Co-founder

Nicole Moehring

Founder, Executive Director

Nicole Moehring, the Founder and Executive Director, is instrumental in establishing the company's core values and fostering a culture of innovation and excellence.

Chris Moehring

Chief Financial Officer

As the chief financial officer of Voices of Change 2018, Chris Moehring oversees the organization's financial operations. He leads the finance team and works closely with other team members to ensure transparency and efficient financial management.

Maci Lynch

Community Liaison

Maci Lynch's role as a Community Liaison involves organizing community events, outreach programs, and fostering community engagement.

Lori Stringer

Lead Illustrator for Evan and Gillian Says

Jacob O'Connor

Intern

Jacob O'Connor, in his capacity as an intern, shows initiative and a willingness to take on new responsibilities. He consistently strives to exceed expectations and make meaningful contributions to the team.

David Dohnal

Board Member

David Dohnal - Retired Probate Judge. David worked as the Assistant General Counsel. For Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. David serves as a Voices of Change 2018 Board Member with a critical role in steering the organization's strategic direction. With vast experience and a strategic mindset, he offers invaluable insights that help shape the vision and growth of the company. David has served on the Summit County Board of Development Disabilities and has also served on the Board of the Ohio Association of County Boards (OACB), the Governor’s Victims of Crime Task Force, the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) Abuser Registry Panel External Review Committee and as a Board Member with Advocacy and Protective Services (APSI).

Kathy Morris-McCandless

Board Secretary

Kathy Morris-McCandless brings 40 years of business experience and expertise to Voices of Change. As the Board Secretary, she is responsible for managing all board meeting logistics, maintaining accurate records, and ensuring compliance with corporate governance regulations. Her meticulous attention to detail and exceptional organizational skills make her a valuable asset to the board and the entire organization. Kathy's dedication to maintaining transparency and integrity in all board proceedings is evident in her thorough documentation and her commitment to upholding the highest standards of professional conduct.

Clare Quartaraco

Board President, Treasurer

Clare Quartaraco - Clare is the Owner of LaVida Massage and has an extensive business background. She holds our organization's esteemed dual position of President and Treasurer. As President, Clare is responsible for leading the team with vision and strategic direction, ensuring that all members work towards our common goals. In the role of Treasurer, Clare meticulously manages the organization's finances, overseeing budgeting, and providing clarity and transparency in all financial matters.

Joseph Storad

Board Member

Joseph Storad, Detective (Retired). Joseph has 30 years of law enforcement experience including nine years in a joint role between the Summit County Board of Developmental Disabilities and Summit Sheriff Department. Joseph worked out of the Major Unusual Incident (MUI) unit providing investigations for criminal MUI’s and as a resource for local law enforcement jurisdictions related to MUI’s and interactions with individuals with developmental disabilities. Upon his retirement, Joseph had over 250 arrests with a 100% conviction rate for crimes against individuals with developmental disabilities. Joseph has won numerous awards during for his outstanding service: Summit County Prosecutor’s Office Top Cop, Summit County Sheriff’s Office Deputy of the Year, City of Akron Optimist Award and Eight time, and Mothers Against Drunk Drivers Award.

The History

The vision, THE MISSION

Statistics

Why are Children with disabilities more vulnerable to being abused?

Why we need to Start having tough conversations

A Message From THE Founders

the Team