A Quarter Blue   

AQB’s original mission focused on stopping childhood sexual abuse through education and encouraging people in their healing process. The name came from the reality that A QUARTER of children will be left BLUE from the trauma of sexual abuse. The blue ribbon is a symbol of child abuse prevention. In 2003, AQB began as a for-profit to educate society in prevention, detection, and reporting childhood molestation. In addition, AQB’s founder, Martha Wade, shared her journey as a former victim of childhood molestation and encouraged victims to seek hope and wholeness. AQB became a 501(c)(3) in 2007, in order to increase its impact. In 2012, AQB saw the need for a parent support group. It provided a sense of community for families whose worlds were rocked following the discovery of sexual abuse against their children. Also, a monthly art-healing group was established. These groups became an effective outlet for families to process their pain. In 2013, AQB added low to no-cost individual therapy for victims of sexual abuse recognizing clientele mainly came from low to moderate-income households. In 2015, AQB added therapeutic and educational services in Spanish. In January of 2018, AQB officially broadened their scope of practice to include healing opportunities to survivors of violent crime, thus creating AQB Trauma Recovery Center. AQB actively engages with victims of molestation, human trafficking, physical child abuse, domestic violence, gun violence, murder, battery, rape, physical assault, stabbing, murder-suicide, and vehicular assault. In 2021, AQB became an official trauma recovery center with the State of California. The TRC grant awards are funded by annual appropriations from the Restitution Fund and the Safe Neighborhood and Schools Fund. For 2023, additional funds will come from the state General Fund as part of the Budget Act of 2022. AQB is committed to the Four R’s: • Reaching children, teens, adults, and families in need of therapeutic services • Restoring and transforming children, teens, adults, and families • Refueling people ministering to victims of crime • Reducing violent and domestic crimes