For the second consecutive year, the Nebraska Board of Parole and Division of Parole Supervision observed Child Abuse Prevention Month. Since 1983, this Country has observed April as a time to remember we have a duty to prevent children from being harmed. Nebraska’s Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) are non-profit organizations working to provide a safe, child-friendly location for conducting forensic interviews and medical evaluations for children experiencing abuse.
As described in their mission statement, “the Nebraska Alliance of Child Advocacy Centers is dedicated to enhancing Nebraska’s response to child abuse with a multidisciplinary approach throughout all of our state’s 93 counties.” In support of this mission, our Agency sponsored a fundraiser to support Nebraska’s CACs through a series of events, and welcomed free will donations throughout the month of April. In 2021, the Agency raised a total of $500 and a multitude of material item donations. All monetary donations were dispersed to CACs in rural regions of Nebraska, while all material items were delivered to CACs in Lincoln and Omaha.
This year, beginning on April 1st, our Agency participated in “Wear Blue Day” as a show of support to the essential work being done in our communities to provide a better, safer future for children. By wearing blue, staff demonstrated their commitment to assisting CACs in enhancing positive childhood experiences and preventing child abuse. Also on April 1st, staff members took part in a hybrid training presentation, offered both virtually and in person, delivered by Paige Piper, Executive Director of the Lincoln CAC. Ms. Piper detailed the history, mission, purpose, process, and services provided by the Lincoln CAC, while offering insight on strategies our Agency can utilize to further assist in ensuring the safety of children in the community.
Additionally, staff members volunteered to submit photos of themselves listing their reason for wearing blue in support of child abuse prevention. These submissions were then posted to the Agency’s social media platforms in an “I wear blue because” series, each Monday of April. Next, the Agency held a door decoration contest offering staff an opportunity to decorate their office doors, with the winner being selected by the Board of Parole. The winner received a gift basket full of blue themed items donated by members of the Child Abuse Prevention Month sub-committee. Furthermore, the Lincoln and Omaha District Parole Offices served as donation stations throughout the month of April, with special giveaway items offered every Tuesday. For each donation received, the individual making the donation was entered into a drawing. Drawing prizes included Amazon gift cards for one winner in Lincoln, Omaha, and North/West regions of the state.
In total, $800 in monetary donations were received in the form of cash, check, as well as gift/gas cards. An outstanding number of material items were also received in the Lincoln and Omaha offices. This year, all CACs in Nebraska will receive a gas card for families in need of assistance. Also, all monetary donations will be divided equally amongst CACs in rural Nebraska (Gering, Grand Island, Kearney, Norfolk, and North Platte). All material items will be delivered from Lincoln and Omaha to their respective CACs.
The Nebraska Board of Parole and Division of Parole Supervision is a proud supporter of CACs in Nebraska, and their commitment to create a safe place for all children experiencing abuse. In 2021 and 2022, our Agency has donated a total of $1,300 to rural CACs in Nebraska, in addition to material items to Lincoln and Omaha’s CACs. We are grateful for every donation received from our staff, and from those outside our Agency. We recognize and appreciate the efforts of our Child Abuse Prevention Month sub-committee, who facilitated this fundraiser and worked to create its success. We applaud each Nebraska CAC for their efforts to prevent and end child abuse. More specifically by allowing children to share their story, support them in times of crisis, provide trauma-informed care, respond to adversity endured by the families they serve, and pursue justice for the victims. CACs are essential organizations that can and do make a difference for children and families in our community. Our Agency looks forward to supporting this cause again next year. In the state of Nebraska, everyone is a mandatory reporter. This means if you know a child is being harmed either physically, psychologically, or sexually you must report it. You can do so by calling the Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline at (800) 652-1999. You can find your local CAC by visiting this link: https://www.nebraskacacs.com/cac-information/find-your-local-cac.html