Natchez Children's Services is our June 2026 Non-Profit of the Month

Miss-Lou Champions Spotlight is proud to recognize Natchez Children's Services as our June 2026 Non-Profit of the Month, honoring an organization that has been quietly doing some of the most important work in our community for over two centuries.

The story of Natchez Children's Services begins in 1816, when a group of Natchez women looked around their community and saw children without food, housing, or education. They decided to do something about it. What they built that year became the oldest continuously operating nonprofit organization in the state of Mississippi, and one of the oldest in the nation. The historical records of their work are preserved in the archives at the University of Texas at Austin, a testament to just how far back this organization's roots run. Those early founders could not have imagined what their act of compassion would grow into, but the spirit behind it has never changed.

Catherine McPhate, Executive Director of Natchez Children's Services, at a recent interview with WCBI in Columbus.

For nearly two centuries, the organization operated as Natchez Children's Home, providing shelter, care, and education to orphans and foster children. As laws and foster care practices changed over the years, so did the needs of the community. In 2012, the organization transitioned to Natchez Children's Services and established its Children's Advocacy Center, evolving to meet a new and pressing mission.

Today, Natchez Children's Services operates as a trauma-informed Children's Advocacy Center, providing free services to children and families who are victims of crime, abuse, and neglect across five counties in southwest Mississippi. Adams, Claiborne, Jefferson, Franklin, and Wilkinson counties all fall within their reach, making them the only Children's Advocacy Center serving that region.

The services they provide go far beyond simply hearing a child's story. When a child comes to the center, they receive a forensic interview conducted by a trained professional. That conversation is video and audio recorded and used to support investigations by law enforcement and Child Protection Services. It is a careful, child-centered process designed to gather information without causing further harm.

From the moment a child and family walk through the door, a victim advocate is assigned to walk alongside them for the life of the case. If a child has to go to court, someone from Natchez Children's Services goes with them. The organization also connects families to additional resources in the community and stays in contact through every step of the process. Trauma therapy is available as well, provided by professionals trained specifically in trauma-informed techniques.

The Natchez Children's Services team at the I Protect Children Luncheon in Jackson.

The center serves children from age three through seventeen, and the numbers tell a sobering story about the need that exists right here in the Miss-Lou. In 2025, Natchez Children's Services served over 450 children across their five-county region. More than half of those cases came from Adams County alone, and half of the total cases involved allegations of sexual abuse.

"Abuse doesn't discriminate," said Executive Director Catherine McPhate. "It's over all socioeconomic statuses, all races, religions, creeds. We're just really doing the best we can to provide these services."

The organization is now located at 33 Fatherland Road, tucked behind a church near Sergeant Prentiss Drive. The space is intentionally welcoming, with a garden and fountain out front and child-friendly rooms inside. Every child who visits leaves with a comfort bag filled with items like blankets, toys, and snacks, a small but meaningful gesture that reflects the heart of the organization.

Natchez Children's Services runs primarily on grant funding and private donations. Anyone in Mississippi who suspects a child is experiencing abuse or neglect can make an anonymous report online through the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services website or by calling 1-800-222-8000. More information about Natchez Children's Services is available at natchezcac.org.

For 210 years, this organization has shown up for the most vulnerable children in our region, adapting to meet new challenges without ever losing sight of its mission. Miss-Lou Champions Spotlight is honored to recognize Natchez Children's Services as our June 2026 Non-Profit of the Month.

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