On A Mission To End Child Abuse
Wednesday - December 01, 2010 Share
By Bonnie Parsons, Board of Directors
Prevent Child Abuse Hawaii
President
Every minute, a child somewhere in America is abused. Physically. Sexually. Emotionally. But the most upsetting statistic of all is how often abuse is witnessed and ignored. An abused child never forgets, and neither do we.
Prevent Child Abuse Hawaii was started by a group of human service providers who became convinced that the community needed a voice dedicated to the prevention of child abuse and neglect. In 1982, this group became the Hawaii Chapter of Prevent Child Abuse America, one of 43 chapters nationwide.
We are a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention of child abuse in all its forms and to ensuring that every child in Hawaii is able to grow up in a safe and nurturing environment. All programs are designed for the general public and center around providing parents and caregivers with the support and skills they need to perform their roles as effectively as possible.
Our mission is simple: to prevent child abuse through education, public awareness and advocacy that promote positive parenting and healthy families where children are valued and loved. Some of the ways we do this is through a contract with the state Department of Health’s Maternal and Child Health Branch to train early childhood educators who work with parents to strengthen their families. We also organize several events in partnership with the Child Abuse Prevention Planning Council during Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, which include a statewide child abuse prevention conference, Teddy Bear Round Up and Pinwheels for Prevention on the lawn of the state Capitol.
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PCAH has taken the lead in an educational awareness campaign about the dangers of Shaken Baby Syndrome called “Never Shake a Keiki,” and we offer an educational outreach program to sports coaches titled “Hey, Coach,” which gives coaches information on positive coaching techniques.
This month we will hold our 24th annual Breakfast with Santa fundraiser. Adonation of $20 includes a meal, photo with Santa, entertainment by clowns, magicians, face painting, costume characters, live musical performances, free games and crafts, and a Christmas gift! It’s a truly memorable event that everyone in the family will enjoy Saturday, Dec. 11, at the Japanese Cultural Center.
To learn more about us or to order tickets for Breakfast with Santa, visit us on the Web at preventchildabusehawaii.org.
Hawaii charitable organizations may send requests for space in either Proof Positive or the free advertisement below to dchapman@midweek.com.
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