Make a Difference in America's Future: Be Aware

Hey everybody!

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. This is a cause that is close to my heart. I want to share with you my experience with our countries’ abused children. My own parents were foster parents, thus making me a foster sister, to many abused children over a fifteen year period.  For most of those years, our foster home specialized in extreme cases of physical and sexual abuse toddler and infants under the age of four-years-old. These children did not know the first thing about being loved. It was my privilege to be a small part of introducing love and kindness into their broken young lives.

I know that none of us like to think about innocent children of any age being mentally, sexually, or physically abused. Yet we must face the facts in we are to change them. The reality is that there are children abused. Child abuse occurs at every socioeconomic level, across ethnic and cultural lines, within all religions and at all levels of education. More than four children die every day as a result of child abuse. This is why community supported organizations like the Power House for Kids, located in Stephens county Georgia, are so important to our big cities and small towns. 

The Power House for Kids was established in 2002 as a Child Advocacy Center serving kids in Habersham, Rabun and Stephens Counties (Georgia) who are alleged victims of abuse. Power House for Kids offers a child-friendly environment for a child and non-offending caregiver to tell his/her story of abuse and/or neglect to trained professionals and to receive the services necessary to reduce trauma to the child. Powerhouse for Kids is a child advocate throughout any legal proceedings.

“Child abuse does not go away, but 90 percent of child abuse is preventable.” –Karen Adams

I am really excited to announce that Purple Butterfly Pages IS A SPONSOR IN THE 3rd Annual Power House for Kids 1K/5K/10K happening May 10, 2014!! Representing my company, I will be running in the 5k!!! I have been trying to get in running shape. Haha! For motivation, I use the memories of all those innocent battered children that came through our door. I am REALLY looking forward to this event supporting the fight AGAINST child abuse. 

Pictured above: Me, Caitlin, on the left and to my right is Nadine Scott, Forensic Interviewer at Power House for Kids

Pictured above: the front of the Historic Stephens County Courthouse. There are 264 pinwheels; each representing a case of child abuse in 2013 which occurred in Stephens, Habersham and Rabun Counties (Georgia). 

I believe it is our responsibility as neighbors/citizens/human beings to report any suspected child abuse. To learn the signs of child abuse, please visit the www.childwelfare.gov and be an educated child advocate. If you would like to join me in the fight against child abuse, please learn more on how you can help in your own community! 

Know the signs. 

Prevent child abuse. 

Make a difference in America’s future!

Caitlin Ayers, publisher

Purple Butterfly Publications

www.PurpleButterflyPages.com