Valerie Whatley, National Director of C.A.A.R.E., was a victim of child abuse herself. Her personal story can be found HERE. For 10 years, she tried to get C.A.A.R.E. off the ground to no avail. Finally, she realized the key was to ask children to be the face of a crime for which they usually have no voice. Since then, she has taken a guiding approach, allowing the kids and teens who feel a passion to see the end of child abuse to take the lead.