Kristi House, Inc., the Children’s Advocacy Center for all of Miami-Dade County, raised more than $1.1 million for specialized services for victims of child abuse, sex trafficking and other trauma its annual gala.

Upon arrival, attendees donned beads, masks, hats and boas for a lively cocktail reception with libations supplied by Republic National Distributing Company. Jugglers, stilt walkers, a Tarot Card reader and a Second Line New Orleans’ style band completed the Miami Mardi Gras theme. The Potamkin Family served as the title sponsors with other lead support from the Anthony R. Abraham Foundation and Goya Cares.

Auctions featured one-of-a-kind vacations, VIP experiences and luxury goods. An amazing week aboard a luxury yacht for 10 with complete crew and chef, a week in Bali and luxury goods made for a lively and competitive auction.

State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle was named Kristi House’s inaugural “Crusader of the Year” for her dedication to safeguarding Miami-Dade County’s children. Miami-Beach Mayor Dan Gelber presented the award on behalf of Kristi House, and told guests it should be called “Crusader of a Lifetime” for her relentless quest for justice on behalf of children.

“Our inaugural honoree for Crusader of the Year, State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle, was an easy choice,” Kristi House CEO Amanda Altman said. “We salute her enduring dedication to healing the hurt. We were truly amazed by the outpouring of generosity and kindness from our community of donors, partners, and volunteers. Their continued commitment to our mission is a testament to the importance of the work we do at Kristi House, and we are honored to have such dedicated supporters by our side.”

Gala Chair Norma Jean Abraham reflected on the event: “Not only did we exceed our fundraising goals,” she said, “but we also were able to educate more community members about the horrific realities of child abuse and sex trafficking, some of which happens right here in our backyard. These funds impact thousands of children, and we couldn’t be happier to be able to provide these families with the financial resources and sources they desperately deserve.”

About Kristi House

Founded in 1995 as a private, not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization, Kristi House provides an integrated solution for families navigating the complex systems involved in cases by working with seven partner agencies to heal the hurt and hold the perpetrators responsible. The Center is nationally recognized for its evidence-based, therapeutic expertise in treating child trauma. Kristi House is responsible for coordinating child-victims’ legal medical, and social services needs and providing evidence-based interventions to enable children to overcome the trauma of abuse.

Kristi House has provided services for more than 24,290 victims of child abuse and their families to help them recover from the trauma of abuse and exploitation. This approach includes coordinating client families’ involvement with legal, medical and mental health systems, limiting the number of interviews to reduce the trauma associated with each retelling of the story, and ensuring that no child falls through the gaps. Kristi House directly provides a full continuum of wrap-around services and care for victims and their families free of charge, including therapy, which is critical for recovery from the trauma of abuse for most survivors.

Kristi House’s main office is centrally located in the “Health District” area of Miami at 1265 NW 12 Avenue. Four satellite locations in other parts of Miami-Dade County serve clients in surrounding neighborhoods.

For more information or to learn about volunteer and donation opportunities, please visit www.kristihouse.org.