New Texas Nonprofit EverUpward Receives $2.25 Million Anchor Funding from Google.org to Advance Child Sexual Abuse Prevention
Building on more than 30 years of learning and experience through Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas, EverUpward will
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From L to R: Samantha Omey, Google.org; Derek Danner, CAC of the South Plains; Cathy Crabtree, EverUpward; and Joy Rauls, CACTX/EverUpward
AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — EverUpward, a new Texas nonprofit, has received $2.25 million in funding from Google.org – Google’s philanthropic arm – to expand EverBright, a program that gives parents and caregivers simple, tested tools to protect children before harm occurs.
EverUpward is an independent nonprofit informed by more than 30 years of experience and learning through Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas (CACTX), which has helped more than 1 million children and families find safety, justice, and healing after abuse. Connected through shared leadership and a commitment to child well-being, EverUpward focuses on the other side of the equation: identifying, testing, and growing solutions that help children thrive before challenges become crisis.
EverBright, its flagship child sexual abuse prevention program, was developed after years of research, piloting, and formal evaluation. It gives parents tools to talk with their children about body safety, healthy boundaries, and warning signs in ways that fit each age and everyday life. Google.org’s support will bring those already-proven tools to more Texas families through routine pediatric visits, community organizations, and online resources.
The need for child sexual abuse prevention is significant. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, one in six high school students reported having experienced sexual abuse. In addition, in a U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics report on the sexual assault of children reported to law enforcement, in more than 90% of cases, the person who caused harm was someone the child knew. Research commissioned by CACTX found that most caregivers want to teach their children about boundaries and body safety, but many are unsure how to start those conversations. While 90% of caregivers surveyed said they were willing to have these discussions, only 57% reported having done so.
EverBright is directly addressing that gap, helping families move from awareness to action with clear, age-appropriate guidance that fits into everyday life throughout a child’s development.
“We’ve spent more than three decades building one of the strongest systems in the country for safety, justice, and healing after a crime against a child has occurred,” said Joy Hughes Rauls, CEO of EverUpward and CACTX. “That work has shown us that response is critical, but it isn’t enough on its own. Children and families need solutions that help reduce risk before abuse happens. That’s why we built EverBright, tested and refined it over several years, and why EverUpward now exists to help it, and future ideas like it, grow further and faster. We’re grateful to Google.org for helping support this next chapter.”
“Texas has been home to Google for nearly two decades, and our commitment to this state has always been rooted in supporting the health, safety, and future of our local communities,” said Jim Anderson, Austin Site Lead and Vice President, Google. “EverBright’s approach of integrating with routine pediatric care takes the guesswork out of child safety, and Google.org is proud to help it scale its proven prevention tools to reach families in every corner of our state and beyond.”
As EverBright expands, parents and caregivers will find its tools through pediatric providers, digital resources, and community organizations. Pediatric partnerships will incorporate age-appropriate prevention guidance into routine care, creating recurring opportunities throughout childhood to reach families with trusted information before a crisis occurs. Digital resources and community partnerships will further extend EverBright’s reach, making trusted prevention guidance more accessible to parents and caregivers.
The Google.org funding will also support continued evaluation to better understand what drives parent action, provider adoption, and effective implementation. Those findings will help strengthen EverBright, build the evidence for sustainable child sexual abuse prevention at scale, and reach more families with the tools they need to help keep children safe.
Parents and caregivers can learn more about EverBright and sign up to receive prevention resources and updates at www.ShineEverBright.org. To learn more about supporting EverUpward’s efforts to create, prove, and scale solutions that help children thrive, visit www.GoEverUpward.org.
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About EverUpward
EverUpward is an independent nonprofit that creates, proves, and scales solutions that help children thrive. It transforms proven experience into innovations that improve outcomes for children and families. Grounded in the legacy of CACTX and connected through shared leadership, EverUpward operates as a distinct organization focused on developing and expanding solutions that can achieve broader impact. Learn more at www.GoEverUpward.org
About EverBright
EverBright is EverUpward’s flagship child sexual abuse prevention initiative, providing parents and caregivers with evidence-informed tools to help prevent child sexual abuse. Through age-appropriate guidance and everyday strategies, EverBright helps families build safer environments for children. Learn more at www.ShineEverBright.org
About Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas
Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas is the statewide organization supporting Texas’ network of children’s advocacy centers and the multidisciplinary teams that respond to crimes against children. Together, they help children find safety, justice, and healing while working to strengthen systems that protect children across Texas. Learn more at www.cactx.org
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