Local agencies provide children and families Fun and Resource Day as part of Child Abuse Prevention Month activities
‘Broward AWARE! Protecting OUR Children’ campaign
By Andrew Leone
Amid continued reports of incidences of child abuse and neglect, a broad based community partnership seeks to en-gage all stakeholders in sharing resources, activities and events that can help keep children safe, healthy and nurtured. “Broward AWARE! Protecting OUR Children” is a campaign aimed at ensuring that the community understands that preventing child abuse and neglect is everyone’s responsibility.
The “Broward AWARE! Protecting OUR Children” campaign, funded in part by the Children’s Services Council of Broward County, is now in its third year and will culminate with a Family Fun and Resource Fair on Saturday, April 13, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., in observance of April: Child Abuse Prevention Month. The event will be held at Rev. Sam Delevoe Park, 2520 N.W. Sixth St., Fort Lauderdale. Fla. There will be free entertainment, resources, prizes, food and refreshments. To remind the community of the importance of raising children happy, healthy and nurtured so they may become responsible, productive adults.
Families deserve to live in communities with resources and information that provide safe and healthy experiences for all children, making it possible for them to safely realize their full potential, hopes and dreams. To that effect, Broward AWARE! seeks to engage families, educators, media, government, law enforcement, child service providers and all other stakeholders to share resources that help prevent child abuse and neglect and heal those who have been victimized by it.
Fun and educational activities on April 13 will include Radio Disney entertainment, bounce houses, face painting, dozens of resource tables, a series of mini-workshops on children safety issues (safe sleep practices, drowning prevention, choosing safe childcare providers, parenting communication skills, etc.), lots of great raffle prizes and free food and refreshments. In addition, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers will be on hand to provide soccer mini-clinics and more fun activities for all.
Broward AWARE! Protecting OUR Children partners include: Children’s Services Council of Broward County, Family Central, Department of Children and Families, Broward Sheriff’s Office, ChildNet, Broward County Health Department, Broward Healthy Start Coalition, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, Healthy Families, Broward County Schools, Broward County Sexual Assault Treatment Center, Broward County Human Trafficking Coalition, Consolidated Credit Counseling, HandsOn Broward, Children’s Home Society, 211 Broward, ARC Broward, Guardian ad Litem, Chrysalis Center, Starting Place, A Child Is Missing, YMCA, Kids In Distress, FLIPANY, Swims Foundation, Ounce of Prevention Fund and more.
To support Broward AWARE! Protecting OUR Children with a financial contribution, please send your donation to the SWIMS Foundation, One Hall of Fame Dr., Fort Lauderdale FL 33316, memo Broward AWARE!
For more information on Broward AWARE! Protecting OUR Children activities visit www.211-Broward.org or www.cscbroward.org.
For information on the Children’s Services Council of Broward County and its funded programs visit www.cscbroward.org.
