Honoring Child Abuse Prevention Month

by: Hannah Rials

Next month is National Child Abuse Prevention month in the US–a month where our country recognizes the issue that weighs so heavy our hearts and tries to raise awareness not only of the issue itself but also how to prevent abuse from happening to more children.

The earliest and most notable awareness effort started in 1989 by a grandmother who lost her grandson through abuse. The Blue Ribbon campaign had people who had lost children wear blue ribbons on their person to bring awareness.

With government funding, agencies all over the country recognize April as Child Abuse prevention month and hosts all sorts of trainings, tools, resources, public events, and activities.

We here at New Hope are filling up our April calendar!

-Four Stewards of Children community training sessions:

• April 4th: 5-7 pm at Pellissippi State Community College
• April 10th: 6-8 pm at Casual Pint in Maryville
• April 11th: 6-8 pm at 1st Baptist Church of Maryville
• April 24th: 6-8 pm at Blount County Library

-Paint for Prevention is Saturday April 15th! Join us at  10 am at 1st Baptist Church of Maryville for a morning of painting, treats, and knowledge about child abuse prevention. Tickets are $35 per person. $10 from each ticket sale goes to benefit New Hope.

Help us light the way of prevention efforts!

(painting that we paint for the class)

 

-Hope to Harmony Kids Fair is Friday April 21 5-7 pm at Camp Montvale. This fun fair is done in conjunction with Harmony Family Center, another wonderful agency working toward the betterment of children in our area! This is a free family event, so bring a picnic and enjoy the wonderful spring weather!

-The first week of April, blue pinwheel gardens will grace the yards of several local businesses and organizations in honor of National Child Abuse Prevention month. We truly appreciate everyone who is hosting a garden and are looking forward to working alongside CASA of the Tennessee Heartland on this endeavor.  Our many thanks to First Baptist Church of Maryville, Volunteer Home Mortgage, United Way of Blount County, Pinnacle Bank, Atlantic Bay Mortgage Company, Dandy Lions, The Center of Campus Ministry at Maryville College, & Heritage High School.

 

This month, our country acknowledges what we here at New Hope work toward everyday. Our job is not just one month out of the year. It’s 365 days, sometimes 24 hours. Please, share this information with your friends and family. Open up dialogues about the issue, bring them to a Stewards of Children training if you’ve already been certified. This is the month of awareness. Please help us to make our community aware and make a difference.

For more information or to register for one of the events please contact Nicole Wicker at 981-2000 or nwicker@blountkids.org.

A special thank you to Dr. Paul Unkefer for sponsoring the awareness billboard for the month of April.  Thank you!!