April’s Child Abuse Prevention Month

Did someone help you have a great childhood when you were young – perhaps a parent, sibling, teacher or coach? Do you help children in your life today have a great childhood – your own kids, nephews or nieces, or maybe children you mentor or babysit?

Throughout April, celebrate the lives you touch and those who have touched yours by honoring them with a pinwheel – the national symbol for the great childhoods all children deserve because our children are our future. Visit our CrowdRise page to make your commitment, and be sure to pass it on to others! All gifts will be recognized on our virtual pinwheel map.

Looking for a way to buy Pinwheels for your home, school or community center? Check out our Pinwheel Store from American Solutions for Business. If you simply want to donate to this campaign,you can do so here.

Why Pinwheels for Prevention?
In 2008, Prevent Child Abuse America introduced the pinwheel as the new national symbol for child abuse prevention through Pinwheels for Prevention®. What our research showed, and what our experiences since then have borne out, is that people respond to the pinwheel. By its very nature, the pinwheel connotes whimsy and childlike notions. In essence, it has come to serve as the physical embodiment, or reminder, of the great childhoods we want for all children.

Why Do We Care?

Because we all play a role in children’s lives…

Whether you are an employer enacting policies that impact the work-life balance or a neighbor who offers parents time away from stress, we all have an effect on the lives of children. The responsibility is ours to contribute to the kind of nation in which we want to live. When all children don’t have equal opportunity for healthy growth and development, we put our future as a society at risk. Every day is your call to action and an opportunity for you to recognize that we all play a role in children’s lives.

Because children are our future…

Our most basic obligation is to support the healthy development of our nation’s children. The great childhoods we want for our children require a loving and supporting environment. Children who are raised in supportive and stable environments are more academically and financially successful, and great childhoods help children grow into productive, contributing adults who help their community, and our country, be prosperous and competitive in the global economy.

Because the costs are too high…

When we invest in healthy child development, we are investing in community and economic development. Unfortunately, children are sometimes exposed to extreme and sustained stress like child abuse and neglect, which can undermine a child’s development. Research conducted by Prevent Child Abuse America estimates that implementing effective policies and strategies to prevent child abuse and neglect can save taxpayers $80 billion per year. The cost of not doing this is measured in increased costs for foster care services, hospitalization, mental health treatment and law enforcement, as well as loss of individual productivity and expenditures related to chronic health problems, special education and the justice system.

How Can You Help?

The Pinwheels for Prevention® campaign provides a unique opportunity for all of us, individuals and organizations alike, to take action by learning more about prevention, supporting child and family friendly policies and services, and volunteering at the local, state, and national levels.

Volunteer with your local Prevent Child Abuse America state chapter…

A cause is only as strong as the people who support it. There are many ways you can show your support by volunteering your time and talent as an individual or organization to further ensure that child abuse prevention is prioritized right from the start.

Your local Prevent Child Abuse America state chapter needs your help! Check out our chapter map to find the contact information for the chapter in your state and contact them to determine what volunteer opportunities exist in your community.

Simple every-day actions make a difference…

There are also simple things you can do every day to make a difference. Whether it’s volunteering at a local pre- or after-school program, babysitting for an overburdened family in your neighbor, or calling your local legislators to advocate for policies like home visiting, there are many things you can do to help promote great childhoods and the prevention of abuse and neglect!

For more Information Call: 931-823-6432

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published.