In 1979, Childhelp founders Yvonne Fedderson and Sarah O’meara designated the first National Child Abuse Prevention Month. 4 years later in 1983, Ronald Regan formally established April as the Child Abuse Prevention Month. During National Child Abuse Prevention Month, the nation comes together to bring awareness to the child abuse epidemic plaguing our country.
We are not without hope. The first Wednesday of the month was designated Childhelp National Day of Hope by the United States House of Representatives in 2000. The National Day of Hope encourages people across the nation to take time to say a prayer and observe a moment of silence in remembrance of the children who die every day from child abuse and neglect.
Grand Terrace Girl Scout Troop 76 traveled over 14 miles to Childhelp USA in Beaumont to support the #fivetoomany and deliver 20 cases of Girl Scout Cookies, courtesy of the Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio icare cookie program. The mission of Troop 76 is to let the children who reside at Childhelp know that they are not forgotten and are loved.
#fivetoomany represents the estimated five children who die each day from child abuse and neglect. These are innocent children who are unable to remove themselves from the situation they are in. During Child Prevention Month you can write #fivetoomany in purple on the palm of your hand to support awareness and help end the cycle.
Child Abuse Prevention Month is a special time of observance, but saving children is a 365-day-a-year mission.