Infographic: Preventing Costly Child Abuse

This is from the PEW Center on the States post (http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/report_detail.aspx?id=85899375913)
Some of our nation’s costliest social problems—like child abuse and neglect—are rooted in early childhood. April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to recognize the proven policies that help break the cycle of abuse and that promote the social and emotional well-being of children and families.

Voluntary home visiting matches parents with trained professionals to provide information and support during pregnancy and throughout their child’s early years—a critical developmental period. Increasingly, states are turning to evidence-based home visiting programs in an effort to prevent abuse and neglect.

Learn more about how home visiting gives families a solid foundation and helps states save money.

Healing Fields

Since the 1980s, millions of people across the country have participated in National Child Abuse Prevention Month activities including the Blue Ribbon Campaign by wearing and distributing blue ribbons, organizing community activities, and showing support for organizations, like the Center for Children and Families, Inc. (CCFI), that help keep kids safe and families together. 

CCFI Healing Field

This year, CCFI launched the first annual Healing Field campaign. Intended to sprout awareness, two Healing Fields are located in Norman, OKand both serve as a reminder that each of us can and does have a hand in protecting children throughout our communities. 

The larger Healing Field is located in the front of CCFI, at the corner of 12^th and Main Street, and consists of over 800 blue ribbon flags. Each flag represents100 Oklahoma victims of child abuse and neglect from 2011. The second Healing Field surrounds the fountain at Sooner Mall with planted pinwheels. Each pinwheel represents two Cleveland County victims of child abuse and neglect. Cleveland County’s number of victims of child abuse and neglect increased from 240 in 2010 to 293 in 2011.

Sooner Mall Healing Field

Last year 8,110 children were confirmed as being abused or neglected in Oklahoma and most of the children in Cleveland County in this situation would be referred to CCFI to find healing. It then becomes our job to try to mitigate the impact of this often unspeakable trauma and give those children the best possible shot at a happy and productive life. But we also work to stop the abuse before it happens, providing counseling and family support services through our programs and services.

Prevention begins with awareness.

Here are some ways you can help:

Donate Now
By making a donation to CCFI today, you’ll be investing in programs that are proven to stop the cycle of abuse and help provide support to children who have already become victims.

Virtual Blue Ribbon
A blue ribbon is the international symbol for Child Abuse Prevention. Show your support by sharing status updates posted on CCFI’s timeline on Facebook or changing your Profile Picture to a Blue Ribbon for the month of April. Go to www.facebook.com/ccfinorman to download.

Tweet about it
On Twitter? Follow @ccfinorman and retweet the messages we’ll be posting about National Child Abuse Prevention Month throughout April.

Host a Blue Ribbon Event
Organize your own event with a blue ribbon or healing field them during the month of April to benefit the Center for Children and Families, Inc. (CCFI), or attend one of our upcoming events.

Expand our Circle of Support
Share this page with family and friends via email, facebook, twitter, or any other social media site!

For more information about child abuse prevention visit: http://www.childwelfare.gov/preventing/preventionmonth

More than 2,000 expected to attend Block Party Saturday

Official CCFI News Release
The Center for Children and Families, Inc. (CCFI) is gearing up for its 12th annual “I Love My Neighborhood Block Party” this Saturday near Wilson Elementary School.

2011 Block Party

Jessica Hutchinson, senior program specialist for CCFI’s Neighborhood Centers after school and summer youth program, said the party will be noon to 2 p.m. Saturday in the parking lot of Trinity Baptist Church, 801 N. Peters Ave. Families can expect live music, games, free food, and crafts. 

We’ve received so much support for this event from the community and it has really grown over the last few years, Hutchinson said.

Hutchinson said nearly 2,000 people attended last year’s party and they expect the number to exceed that this Saturday.

2011 Block Party

“We’re just trying to reach out to the community and neighborhood to get everyone together,” she said. “It gives families an opportunity to spend some quality time together without having to worry about finances.”

Families who attend can visit booths hosted by local businesses and also can learn more about CCFI’s Neighborhood Centers program.

Hutchinson said the Neighborhood Centers after school and summer services are available at Kennedy and Wilson elementary schools and Irving and Longfellow middle schools and operate after school until 8:00 pm through out the week.

“We operate every day that they have school and over the summer months,” she said. “Our program is completely free and we offer every child a unique experience through a number of enriching activities from service learning projects and homework help to weekly gender-specific mentoring groups for the older, middle school age groups.”

For information about CCFI’s Neighborhood Centers youth program visit www.ccfinorman.org. To get involved with this years block party visit www.ccfinorman.org/blockparty.

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The Center for Children and Families, Inc. (CCFI) is private, non-profit located in Norman, OK specializing in healing children, empowering youth, and strengthening families.

Bottoms up.



CCFI Baby Pantry



Imagine everything it takes to be a parent.
Now imagine it without diapers.

Many families struggle to provide basic needs for their children. In fact, one in three mothers will struggle to provide clean, dry diapers for their babies. Contrary to popular belief, government programs do not assist with paper products, including diapers, and many daycare and child care agencies will only accept disposable diapers. With that said it becomes a difficult situation, and often times a choice, for parents struggling to make ends meet.

However, the Center for Children and Families, Inc.’s (CCFI) Baby Pantry assists parents in being able to meet these essential needs. One of our core organizational beliefs here at CCFI is that all parents need help and should never be ashamed to ask for advice, diapers or support. We see caregivers that seek help in raising their children every day at CCFI and know it is a sign of maturity and hope – never failure.
Anytime you can help lessen stress and assist families in being successful parents you are teaching them valuable skills.  Stressed parents do not always make positive decisions. By offering support and hope we are providing the opportunity for parents to have one less stressor in their lives.  Sometimes it helps just knowing that someone cares…and is there when you need them the most. Our Baby Pantry serves that role and is there for when parents need it the most.

At CCFI we’ve been fortunate to stock our Baby Pantry entirely on community donations and provided thousands of parents with nearly 40,000 diapers and hundreds of essential items (baby wipes, formula and cereal) in 2011. If we can provide support, encouragement and hope to families by allowing them to focus on the more important areas of parenting, like the relationship with their little ones, then it’s truly a benefit for the parent, child and the family as a whole, all of which transcends into a healthier community.

This April...

Promote Happier Childhoods

Across our neighborhoods, community and state we want to see love in place of the abuse that shatters the lives of more than 8,000 children in Oklahoma annually.

Abuse is an epidemic affecting our entire state — taking the lives of too many children — yet no one wants to talk about the topic of child abuse. Moreover many people are just not aware of child abuse, its signs or that they can and must speak up – because it may save a child’s life.

Starting today, we want to inspire you to begin conversations and attract attention to the cause and join CCFI in promoting happier childhoods across our community for National Child Abuse Prevention Month during Apri

Show your support. Help us prevent child abuse.

Host a diaper drive

Donate/collect diapers of all sizes for our Baby Pantry at CCFI. Help us keep little bottoms covered, clean and dry. Tell your friends, family, neighbors and coworkers to join you or do the same!

Go BLUE

Since 1989, thousands of people nationwide wear the blue ribbon to create awareness of the need to keep kids safe and families strong. Get all the information for blue ribbon and children abuse prevention awareness initiatives here.  

Join Us

Join us at the Capitol as we meet with legislators and showcase prevention efforts in our community. Please come by and visit our booth, we'd be glad to answer any questions or to have your help! For more information on Child Abuse Prevention Day at the Capitol click here.

Lend Your Voice

Get involved as an individual by:

Write your state or federal elected officials to advocate for greater healthy child development and child abuse prevention funding. After all, child development is a building block for community development and economic development, things we all believe in.

Get involved as a local organization by:

·         Joining Child Abuse Prevention Month activities in April.

·         Incorporating child abuse prevention into your work.

·         Discussing child abuse prevention at your conferences and meetings.

·         Contacting us to explore the possibilities.

Get involved as a company by:

·         Having change canisters, pinups, or electronic donation opportunities for customers.

·         Sponsoring awareness activities in the community.  

·         Printing messages on your bags or insert bill-stuffers to bring attention to this issue.

·         Inviting your employees to show their support by building a blue ribbon tree.

·         Creating a pinwheel garden on your company's premises in April to show your support during Child Abuse Prevention Month.

·         Contributing your company's professional expertise to help us advance this campaign and our organization's mission.

·         Donating or supporting the purchase of advertising space to help continue getting the word out.

If you have any questions or would like any more information about the content above, contact Stacy Hawthorne at shawthorne@ccfinorman.org or call 405-364-1420.