Christine Messina is the owner of The Candy Jar at the Hill Country Galleria in Austin, Texas. Beyond her responsibilities at the candy and confectionary shop, Christine Messina supports community organizations and charities such as the Austin Children’s Shelter (ACS).
For more than three decades, ACS has provided services to children, young adults, and families who have been impacted by physical abuse, neglect, and various forms of exploitation. The ACS campus in Austin has been used to care for in-need children and help local youth develop the skills necessary to live happy, healthy lives as adults.
After more than half a decade of conversation, ACS has merged with SafePlace, another local trusted human services provider, to create the Stop Abuse for Everyone (SAFE) Alliance. The joint efforts of ACS and SafePlace as SAFE will allow the new organization to better address the wide-ranging effects of violence and abuse. More importantly, the merger represents a strong, continued commitment to eliminating the delays and overall ineffectiveness that can arise when working within various governments’ sometimes fragmented and regulatory-laden frameworks.
More information about SAFE, including how to donate or volunteer, can be found online at www.safeaustin.org.
