April is Child Abuse Prevention Month
National Child Abuse Prevention Month recognizes the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse and neglect. During April and throughout the year, we are encouraged to increase awareness and provide education to support families with resources to prevent child abuse.
We start with communities, because they have the greatest impact on the lives of children. Supportive communities can help build strong families. The work we do as clubwomen helps to build a strong infrastructure for families to support the emotional and physical well-being of children.
As mentioned at our 2018 summer meeting, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are traumatic events occurring before age 18. ACEs include abuse and neglect, parental mental illness, substance use, divorce, incarceration, and domestic violence. Studies have shown a significant relationship between the number of ACEs a person experiences and the number of negative outcomes in adulthood, including poor physical and mental health, substance abuse, and risky behaviors. The more ACEs experienced, the greater the risk for these outcomes.
Here are some steps to help build a stronger community:
Baby Steps: Meet and greet your neighbors, go to a parents’ meeting at your child’s school or participate in an activity at your local library or community center.
Small Steps: Set up a playgroup in your community, at people’s homes, or a local park (consider inviting people who may not have children at home, such as local seniors), organize a community babysitting co-op or volunteer at your child’s school or encourage local service providers to produce a directory of available services in the area.
Big Steps: Organize a community event (a block party, father-daughter dance, or parental support group), run for a PTA parent office at your child’s school or attend a city council or school board meeting. Speak up about how parks, strong schools, and accessible services help to strengthen your family and the community.
Please join in. Take steps to make communities more supportive!!! The GFWC-NC Juniors are committed to child abuse prevention.
Membership: Focus on Recognition
We are in the middle of GFWC’s Spring Recruitment Campaign – Recognition! Are you giving credit to your club’s all stars? Are you thanking the quiet members who always deliver? Awards are great ways to provide recognition. We’ll be recognizing some wonderful clubs and members with awards at the GFWC-NC Convention and we hope you’ll join us. Remember that recognition is something you can do on a much smaller scale, too. A #ThankYouTuesday card, a newsletter shout-out, and a simple, heartfelt, “Thank you” can remind your members that you value their contributions, great and small.
We thank YOU for bringing in new members and retaining your current members. GFWC’s goal is to increase membership by 20% by 2020.