Funding announced for Protect Our Children, a program to prevent child sexual abuse
March 10, 2015: The Ford Family Foundation announced today that it will partner with and provide funding to 11 nonprofits across Oregon and in Siskiyou County, Calif., to be a part of Protect Our Children, a program of The Ford Family Foundation to prevent child sexual abuse.
Protect Our Children will use a nationally acclaimed training curriculum: Darkness to Light’s Stewards of Children. The training is designed to educate adults on how to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. It will be offered to organizations and individuals at minimal or no cost.
The 11 nonprofits selected are listed below; they will provide training across Oregon and Siskiyou County, Calif. (see map):
ABC House, Albany
Providing trainings Linn and Benton counties
541-926-2203
Bay Area Hospital/Kids' Hope Center, Coos Bay
Providing trainings in Coos County
541-266-8806
Building Healthy Families, Enterprise
Providing trainings in Wallowa, Baker and Malheur counties
541-426-9411
Central Douglas County YMCA, Roseburg
Providing trainings in Douglas County
541-440-9622
Children's Advocacy Center of Lincoln County, Newport
Providing trainings in Lincoln County
541-574-0841
Children's Center of Clackamas County, Oregon City
Providing trainings in Clackamas County
503-655-7725
Columbia Gorge Children's Advocacy Center, Hood River
Providing trainings in Hood River, Gilliam and Wheeler counties
503-436-2960
Family Relief Nursery, Cottage Grove
Providing trainings in South Lane and North Douglas counties
541-942-4835
Children's Advocacy Center of Jackson County, Medford
Providing trainings in Jackson County
541-734-5437
KIDS Center, Bend
Providing trainings in Crook and Jefferson counties
(Training available in Deschutes County via non-Foundation funding.)
541-383-5958
Siskiyou Child Care Council, Weed
Providing Siskiyou County, Calif.
530-938-2748
Child sexual abuse is linked to a host of societal issues including teen pregnancy, depression and suicide. Victims are three times more likely to have substance abuse issues, two times more likely to drop out of school, and are at greater risk for physical illnesses such as cancer and diabetes.
“In Oregon, many of our nonprofits, state agencies, and individuals work hard every day to prevent and fight child sexual abuse,” says Keavy Cook, director for Children, Youth and Families at The Ford Family Foundation. “But the challenge is great. We see Protect Our Children as a way to help.”
Over the next three years, the Foundation will work with the 11 organizations to train more than 20,000 adults in the child sexual abuse prevention curriculum. Protect Our Children will also train more than 100 facilitators to carry on the training in their own communities.
Protect Our Children emphasizes the development of a network among the regions committed to protecting children. The Foundation's statewide preparation is already underway including building an infrastructure of support and training the necessary Darkness to Light-certified instructors.
Adults and organizations interested in hosting, becoming a certified facilitator, or attending a training should contact one of the 11 organizations coordinating the program. Or contact the Foundation’s coordinator of the program, Mary Beattie, preventchildabuse@tfff.org.
Upcoming event
Facilitator Workshop (train the trainers)
June 12, 2015 at KIDS Center, Bend
Open to the public.
Call Kim Bohme for more information, 541-383-5958
For more information about Darkness to Light, visit www.d2l. org.
