The Mercedes-Benz Social Contribution Committee said on the 23rd that the Gwacheon Child Protection Agency, funded with 500 million won from the 12th Mercedes-Benz Give N Race, opened a day earlier.
The Gwacheon center is the third child protection agency the committee has helped build, following the Incheon Geomam Child Protection Agency and the Central Busan Child Protection Agency. Including a facility now under construction in Dongducheon, the committee has supported four such agencies.
"We hope this support helps abused children and their families recover, and lays the groundwork for children to grow up healthy in a safer environment," said Lee Sang-kook, a member of the committee and a vice president at Mercedes-Benz Korea.
The 500 million won was used to build offices, counseling rooms and program rooms at the center, and to purchase equipment needed for child abuse case management and counseling. Mercedes-Benz Korea said the project was meaningful because donations raised through public participation had been channeled into child protection infrastructure needed in the community.
The Gwacheon center is operated by the Korean Art Therapy Counseling Association and provides counseling and case management for abused children and their families, psychological testing and referrals for treatment, and follow-up care to prevent repeat abuse. It also offers counseling and education for perpetrators of child abuse, public education and outreach on abuse prevention, and cooperation with related local institutions.
Mercedes-Benz Give N Race is a public participation charity run that combines sports and giving. Since its first edition in 2017, the event has drawn about 165,000 cumulative participants and raised roughly 8.6 billion won through its 13th edition. All proceeds go to children and adolescents in South Korea.
The Mercedes-Benz Social Contribution Committee has run community programs across a range of areas since its launch in 2014. Cumulative donations reached about 51.5 billion won as of the second quarter of this year. The committee said it would continue to identify local needs and support long-term change.
