April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to reflect on how we can protect, defend, and secure the well-being of vulnerable children. Just as an army prepares for battle, we must also equip ourselves with the right tools—both offensive and defensive—to stand against the challenges children in crisis face.

A Community United for Prevention and Care

No single person can bear the weight of this mission alone. It takes a network of foster parents, caseworkers, behavioral health providers, and community members to create a true safety net for children.

Growing up, we never had a regular Christmas tree. That may have been because my mom was creative, or it might have been because we were poor and necessity is the mother of invention. Perhaps it was both. About two weeks before the 25th, my mom and dad would go to the woods and find a limb that she thought was just right. My dad would then affix the limb to a platform, and Mom would put flocking on it and hang “icicles” and cheap treats from the branches. It was fantastic!