Blue Ribbon Campaign

Before today is over, 3 CHILDREN WILL DIE from being abused. At least one of them will be a baby - less than a year old. They other two probably haven't yet celebrated their 5th birthdays. More than 510 other children will be physically abused today and another 270 will be sexually abused. In total, over 2,700 children will be abused today.

Tomorrow - the horror starts all over again, just as it does everyday.

Child abuse is an American epidemic. And yet - children continue to die everyday. Other children continue to be hurt. And, as they grow up - studies show that they will most likely abuse their own children, perpetuating the cycle of violence.

A blue ribbon is the international symbol for Child Abuse Prevention. The color blue was chosen to represent the bruised and battered bodies of the thousands of children that are abused everyday. It serves as a constant reminder that all of us have a responsibility to help keep children safe.

Wear a Blue Awareness Ribbon and help share the message:
Children deserve to be safe and everyone is responsible for keeping them safe.

To receive your FREE Awareness Ribbon
click here.

You CAN help stop child abuse.

1. Provide financial support to child welfare agencies working to protect child.

   You can help support agencies like Cardinal McCloskey Services - directing your gifts to our programs working directly with parents in their homes to teach them new behaviors, new discipline techniques and new ways to confront their own emotional scars from the abuse they suffered as children. Or, you can direct your gift to helping abused children recover from their abuse through foster care programs, counseling programs and after-care programs.

   For every $1.00 you donate to Cardinal McCloskey Services, $.92 goes directly to providing services.

   Click here to make a donation.

2. Volunteer your services at your local child welfare agency.

   One way of being able to ensure the maximum amount of funding goes to providing direct services is to rely on volunteers to help with administrative tasks. Do you have particular talents, skills or abilities that you would like to share with us? Click here to find out more about volunteering.

3. Become a Board Member

   A volunteer Board of Directors is responsible for overseeing that a not-for-profit child welfare agency fulfills its mission of protecting children. They help raise much needed funds, monitor the fiscal responsibility of an organization and lend their skills and talents to directing the course of the agency. To learn more about being a Board Member, contact our Public Relations Office.

4. Advocate on behalf of abused children.
   Abused children have no one to speak for them. You can do that. Advocate with your government officials provide sufficient funding to keep programs operating that help keep children safe. Make sure you -- and your officials -- know about the child welfare organizations working in your community to help keep children safe.

5. Know the signs and symptoms of abuse.

   With so many children suffering from abuse and neglect - you may very likely know a child who is being abused. Know the signs and symptoms. If you suspect a child needs help, he or she probably does. Calling to file a report doesn't mean the child is automatically and immediately removed from the home. It does mean that someone knowledgeable will investigate and evaluate the situation. The family may need help. Your call can help them get it.

   Click here for more information about abuse. Click here for information about reporting child abuse.

6. Help an at-risk family.

   Do you know a family in your community where Mom and/or Dad are under a great deal of stress, seem to be very short on patience, perhaps drinking a little too much and just seem to be on the edge all the time - yelling at the children, threatening them, grabbing them or maybe even spanking or hitting them? Perhaps there is something you can do to help. Maybe it is a simple thing like offering to take the kids to the park or a movie so that Mom and Dad can get a short break. Sometimes just feeling like there is someone who cares can be enough to diffuse a potentially violent situation.

7. Help an at-risk child.

   Do you know a child in your neighborhood who seems to be unsupervised, left alone to look after herself, often in the same clothes looking un-kept, out later than appropriate or generally seeming neglected by her parents? Child neglect is a form of child abuse. She may need help. Make a report. It could save her life. Click here for reporting information.