Prevent Child Abuse New York's Blog

Price Chopper Raises $37,000 to Prevent Child Abuse

This April and unusual item popped up on shoppers' grocery lists: Pinwheels for Prevention pin-ups. Price Chopper stores sold 37,005 of them, resulting in a $37,005 donation to Prevent Child Abuse New York (PCANY) and its sister chapters in surrounding states.

Fox 23 News WXXA also joined in the fight against child abuse, sponsoring the Pinwheels for Prevention pin-up campaign and running television PSAs to promote it.

Money raised in the campaign will support PCANY’s Parent Helpline, public education, and legislative advocacy programs.

Throughout the month of April, which is Child Abuse Prevention Month, Price Chopper’s customers were asked if they would like to purchase a Pinwheel for Prevention pin-up. Every dollar raised goes directly to the Prevent Child Abuse state chapter where it is donated.

Pinwheels for Prevention is the signature campaign for Prevent Child Abuse America and its state chapters. The pinwheel symbolizes a person’s commitment to truly preventative measures, such as home visitation services, parent education and the overall re-prioritization of our policies, programs and resources to ensure that every child is provided with a healthy, safe and nurturing home and an involved, supportive and caring community.

Price Chopper Pinwheels Pin-up Campaign to Benefit Prevent Child Abuse New York

Price Chopper Supermarkets is sponsoring a pin-up campaign to fight child abuse and neglect. Held during the month of April—Child Abuse Prevention Month—the statewide campaign is a demonstration of the fast-growing belief that we can prevent, not just intervene in, child abuse and neglect to better protect our children.

“There’s no excuse for child abuse. Price Chopper wants to relay that message, raise awareness and raise funds through our partnership with Prevent Child Abuse,” stated Stephanie VanDerwerker, Community Relations Specialist at Golub Corporation, parent company of Price Chopper Supermarkets.

“April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and Price Chopper will host its annual fundraising pin-up program to benefit the various Prevent Child Abuse chapters throughout our six state operating area. Customers may support the program by purchasing a $1 pin-up at any register. Last year, Price Chopper stores raised over $22,500 and our goal this year is $30,000. Hosting programs such as the Prevent Child Abuse campaign is one way that Price Chopper demonstrates that we value and support the communities in which we do business.”

Every dollar collected in New York will support Prevent Child Abuse New York’s Parent Helpline, public education, and legislative advocacy work throughout the state. As part of the campaign, Parent Helpline bookmarks will be available at Price Chopper’s customer service desks.

The campaign is co-sponsored by Fox 23 WXXA.

Walk for Children: One Week Away!

With the Walk for Children a little more than one week away, we're in the final stretch to raise funds and make this year's Walk the most successful yet. If you haven't already done so, please take a moment to create and personalize a fundraising page at FirstGiving.com. This is a simple and easy way to raise money and show your sponsors why preventing child abuse is important to you. This is also a good time to send a final email to friends and family that have not yet contributed asking them to donate and forward your message to others they think could help.

We have many teams raising funds to support the Walk for Children! Everyone is doing a terrific job, but we really need you to continue recruiting walkers and sponsors to reach our goal of $30,000!

We greatly appreciate your participation and fundraising efforts and hope you have found the process to be fun and rewarding! Child abuse and neglect prevention is the most critical issue we can address for the long-term prosperity of our state and nation. Thank you for stepping up to make a difference in your community!

Walk for Children At-a-Glance:

Where:
Washington Park Lake House

When:
Saturday, October 15
Registration & Kids' Activities 10 a.m.
Walk 11 a.m.
Rain or Shine

At the Walk:
Children's games, activities, crafts, music, food, refreshments, prizes and a short walk through the park in honor of the leaders of tomorrow - our kids! Proceeds from the Walk support our Parent Helpline and Kids Can't Wait, our legislative advocacy program.

More information:
Learn more about the event on our web site, including information about registration, organizing your own team, creating a personal fundraising page, fundraising tips, and volunteering.

Already busy on October 15?
That's OK! You can still support the Walk for Children by making a donation or raising money with a fundraising page on FirstGiving.com.

Walk for Children: Let's Celebrate the Leaders of Tomorrow!

In an unpredictable world one thing is for sure: Today's kids are tomorrow's leaders. Child abuse prevention is the most urgent issue we can address for the long-term prosperity of our state and nation. I hope you'll join us at the Walk for Children on October 15 to celebrate the leaders of tomorrow and help create a world where all children are loved, nurtured and protected.

It's been a challenging year for PCANY and all signs point to another difficult year ahead. The success of the Walk for Children is more important than ever. We're depending on you to spread the word and raise money.

Please help us reach our goal of $30,000! Fundraising is a challenging, but rewarding activity. We're thankful for supporters like you as we push toward our goal. Here are some tips to help you achieve your personal fundraising goals:

Create a FirstGiving.com Page
Use FirstGiving.com to create a customized fundraising page. Tell your story with a photo, compelling message or video. Then simply email the page to your prospective sponsors. Your page is your place to show your friends, family and colleagues exactly why you're supporting Prevent Child Abuse New York.

Try Face-to-Face, Too
There's no denying the power of the internet to raise money, but people will find it harder to say no to you (or ignore you) if you ask them to donate in person. This also gives you the opportunity to immediately answer questions and explain why preventing child abuse is important to you.

Know Where the Money Goes
People want to know how their money will be spent and that it will be put to good use. Funds raised in the walk will support our 24-hour Parent Helpline and Kids Can't Wait, our legislative and policy advocacy program. You can read more about our work on our web site.

Aim High
Ask for more than you expect to get. If you think someone will donate $25, ask for $50. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Follow Up
Stay in contact with the people you ask to sponsor you. If they don't commit right away, follow up and remind them how important this is to you.

Give Thanks
Send thank you notes or emails to your sponsors. After the event, send photos of you and your team at the Walk. Be sure to let your sponsors know they are making a difference.

Walk for Children At-a-Glance:

Where:
Washington Park Lake House

When:
Saturday, October 15
Registration & Kids' Activities 10 a.m.
Walk 11 a.m.
Rain or Shine

At the Walk:
Children's games, activities, crafts, music, food, refreshments, prizes and a short walk through the park in honor of the leaders of tomorrow - our kids! Proceeds from the Walk support our Parent Helpline and Kids Can't Wait, our legislative advocacy program.

More information:
Learn more about the event on our web site, including information about registration, organizing your own team, creating a personal fundraising page, fundraising tips, and volunteering.

Already busy on October 15?
That's OK! You can still support the Walk for Children by making a donation or raising money with a fundraising page on FirstGiving.com.

Step Up to Prevent Child Abuse at the Walk for Children

As a supporter of Prevent Child Abuse New York, you know the Walk for Children isn't just a fundraiser. It's an event for the whole family that features kid's games, activities, crafts, music, food, refreshments, prizes and a short walk through the park in honor of the leaders of tomorrow - our kids.

The 2011 Walk for Children is just four weeks from Saturday! This is the perfect time to shift your efforts to recruit team members and raise sponsorship money into high gear. Recruiting walkers and raising money is hard work, but you can do it! Remember, you're making a difference for a cause you believe in. You'll find many helpful tips in our Fundraising Handbook and Team Leader Handbook (both documents are PDFs).

Please remember to register and create a personalized fundraising page at FirstGiving.com. This is a simple, easy and effective way to raise sponsorship money.

Walk for Children At-a-Glance:

Where:
Washington Park Lake House

When:
Saturday, October 15
Registration & Kids' Activities 10 a.m.
Walk 11 a.m.
Rain or Shine

At the Walk:
Children's games, activities, crafts, music, food, refreshments, prizes and a short walk through the park in honor of the leaders of tomorrow - our kids! Proceeds from the Walk support our Parent Helpline and Kids Can't Wait, our legislative advocacy program.

More information:
Learn more about the event on our web site, including information about registration, organizing your own team, creating a personal fundraising page, fundraising tips, and volunteering.

Already busy on October 15?
That's OK! You can still support the Walk for Children by making a donation or raising money with a fundraising page on FirstGiving.com.

 

Stand Up for Kids and Others Organize for Walk for Children

What do youth homelessness and child abuse have in common? Everything, according to Lil, executive director of New York’s chapter of StandUp For Kids, a national organization committed to helping homeless and street kids.

“So many kids are on the street because of abuse,” said Lil. (Stand Up for Kids doesn’t publish last names in order to protect the safety of the kids they serve.) “They either leave because it gets bad or parents just throw them away. Abuse is the main cause.”

Lil and a team from Stand Up for Kids plan to travel to Albany from New York City to take part in the Walk for Children on October 15. “Participating in the walk is important because our mission is to end the cycle of youth homelessness, and we can’t do that without ending the root of the problem,” said Lil.

Like many of our walkers, Lil shares our hope to end child abuse. Our walkers know we all have a role to play in stopping abuse before it starts. They turn their passion into action, make a difference for a cause that’s important to them, and inspire others to take action, too. “We want to get the word out abuse and abuse prevention: Raise awareness, raise money, raise empathy and educate. Prevention is better than cure.”

The Walk for Children is Saturday, October 15, at Washington Park in Albany. The event includes free food and refreshments, prizes, kids’ games, arts and crafts, Halloween activities, a bounce house and safety demonstrations. Registration starts at 10 a.m. and the walk kicks off at 11.

For information about registration and volunteer opportunities, please call 518-445-1273 or visit the Walk for Children Albany page of our web site.

Step Up to Prevent Child Abuse at the Walk for Children

Imagine a world without child abuse - a world where all families live in prosperous communities that value kids and support parents in the important job of raising their children. You can take a step toward creating that world by joining us at the 2011 Walk for Children on October 15 at Washington Park in Albany.

The walk is an event for the entire family that features games, activities, prizes, free food and refreshments and a short walk around the park to honor the leaders of tomorrow - our kids. You can learn more about the event on our web site, where you'll find information about registering, organizing your own team [pdf], and creating a personal fundraising page.

Please register today. Every step you take and every dollar you raise will benefit PCANY's child abuse prevention programs!

A Penny Saved: Delaware Community School Donates Penny Harvest to PCANY

Prevent Child Abuse New York would like to extend heartfelt thanks to the elementary school students at Albany's Delaware Community School for their recent donation. Students in the Penny Harvest, a young philanthropy program, raised every cent of the $312 donation—one penny at a time. We and several other non-profits were invited to talk with students about our work. Faced with the difficult decision of selecting a winning organization, students choose to divide the harvest's bounty among three worthy organizations. Our portion of the harvest will be spend on production costs for English and Spanish educational materials and safety and parenting tips for families in Albany and all over New York. Thank you, Delaware Community School! You are the future generation of active citizens and community leaders. Seeing what you're already doing, we know the future is bright!

Ms. Foundation Awards Funds to End Child Sexual Abuse

Good news from Prevent Child Abuse America and our sister chapters in Massachusetts, New Jersey and North Carolina: They've been awarded a grant from the Ms. Foundation for Women to continue their work to end child sexual abuse.

The Ms. Foundation for Women recently announced $600,000 in grants as part of a partnership with the NoVo Foundation and individual donors to end child sexual abuse in the United States.

“The Ms. Foundation for Women is proud to announce this new round of grants to prevent child sexual abuse,” says Senior Program Officer Monique Hoeflinger. “From working within Native American and religious communities, to advocating for new federal policies, to using art as a catalyst for social change, each group is pursuing innovative strategies to engage families, communities and policymakers to end child sexual abuse once and for all.”

“We not only want to celebrate the Ms. Foundation’s generosity,” says Jim Hmurovich, President & CEO of Prevent Child Abuse America, “but also their focused leadership on supporting an issue that has been silent far too long. I believe that people are awakening to the fact that healthy child development is better for children and our communities than experiencing child abuse and neglect. I am hopeful that this generosity and leadership will contribute to a grassroots movement for America’s children in communities across the nation to prevent sexual abuse and other forms of abuse from ever occurring. We all have a role to play in developing our next generation of adults, and the Ms. Foundation certainly is doing their part.”

A total of 15 organizations were selected from over 250 submissions. The awardees—representing local, state and national groups working in 14 states across the country—are faith-based, arts, domestic violence and survivor-led groups as well as sexual assault coalitions and child abuse prevention organizations, including Prevent Child Abuse America working in partnership with three members of its chapter network Prevent Child Abuse Maryland which is housed at The Family Tree, Prevent Child Abuse Massachusetts which is housed at Massachusetts Citizens for Children and Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey; and Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina which received its own individual grant.

In its selection of grantees, the Ms. Foundation prioritized organizations that advocate for policy reform and long-term culture change. Together, these grantees will foster a groundswell of new thinking, discussion and collective action on child sexual abuse prevention. In addition to delivering funds, the Ms. Foundation will offer critical non-monetary support that will enable awardees to share strategies and ideas and strengthen the movement overall.

“Child sexual abuse is a complex social problem that requires more than one organization or approach,” says Hoeflinger. “As reflected in this diverse group of grantees, ending child sexual abuse will take local, state and national organizations working together in a collaborative, strategic way.”

Violence Prevention Opportunity

Violence is a serious public health problem that affects people of all ages. Each year, more than 53,000 people lose their lives to violence, but this number doesn’t tell the whole story. Violence also destroys communities by reducing productivity, decreasing property values, and disrupting social services.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) is determined to curb the effects of this problem. One way they are doing this is by providing a free online course that’s available 24/7 titled Principles of Prevention. The course teaches key concepts of prevention, the public health approach, and the social-ecological model. Through interactive exercises, participants learn how to help prevent five types of violence:

• Child abuse and neglect
• Intimate partner violence
• Sexual violence
• Suicide
• Youth violence

Principles of Prevention is designed for those interested in preventing violence from happening in the first place. It helps participants become a part of the solution by teaching the fundamentals of effective violence prevention methods. The course includes:

• Interviews with leading experts in the field
• Dynamic graphics
• Interactive exercises
• Compelling storytelling that makes the case for violence prevention