Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month
Thank you to everyone that participated in our Child Abuse Prevention Awareness month activities! In April, we recognized the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse and neglect and promoted the social and emotional well-being of children and families. April is a time to help people understand that safe, stable and nurturing relationships and environments are necessary to ensure that children grow up happy and healthy. We all play a role in supporting the well-being of others.
In honor of Child Abuse Prevention Awareness month, the Burgess Public Health Learning for Life program and the Monona County Child Abuse Prevention Council sponsored many activities. You may have seen one of our over 30 Pinwheel Flower pots around the county. The blue pinwheel is the national symbol Prevent Child Abuse America. Or perhaps you participated in our Family Bingo. We distributed over 700 Family Bingo cards to children and their families. Each bingo card was filled with fun, free family activities to promote positive bonding and togetherness. With generous funding from the Harrison, Monona and Shelby Early Childhood Board, families who completed a “blackout” and turned their card in, were eligible for a prize drawing of one of three family memberships to the Henry Doorly Zoo or one of three family game baskets. Congratulations to our winners from each school district: Kendyl Purcell, Jasmine Warren, Madison Golden, Wylie Eckert, Hudson Blatchford and Trigg Fox! It is our hope that the families who did not turn in a “black out” card were able to complete some of the activities or at the very least read through the cards to see how simple it can be to spend quality time together.
The Monona County Board of Supervisors also signed a proclamation declaring April as Child Abuse Prevention Awareness month to show their support to the families and children in our county. We appreciate their time and collaboration. We also want to thank those that wore blue on Fridays during April to show their support!
The Monona County Child Abuse Prevention Council meets regularly to ensure that EVERY CHILD has a safe childhood free of violence. The Council is actively seeking members. For information on how to be involved or if you or a friend would like to learn how to participate in educational early childhood home visits that will help your child’s growth and development, please contact Burgess Public Health at 712-423-9175. Our Learning for Life Program is a free home visiting program for families with children prenatal through kindergarten entry. The Learning for Life Program is funded by grants from the Harrison, Monona and Shelby Early Childhood Iowa Board, Iowa Child Abuse Prevention Program grant funding and the Monona County Board of Supervisors.
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Photo: (back, left to right) Paula Nagel, West Central Community Action/Head Start, Michelle James with Family Crisis Centers, Debie Lahr, Kaylee Kirkpatrick, and Adam Hadden. (front, left to right) Vince Phillips, Tom Brouillette, and Bo Fox of the Monona County Board of Supervisors.