Center provides essential help for abused kids, sheriff says
March 11th, 2010 Posted in OpinionBy Cathy Morgan
LOGAN–The Cache County Council was given a speech by Sheriff Lynn Nelson about the month of April becoming Child Abuse Prevention month at Tuesday night’s meeting.
Many victims that fall through the cracks of the other state organizations get picked up by the Child and Family Support Center in Cache County, he said. Last year 3,125 children were helped there, 3,682 calls were received by their hotlines and 216 parents attended parenting classes. Cache County had 681 allegations of child abuse, and 237 were reported to the center.
“These are children that without this center would not get help,” Nelson said. Only a third of the people on the waiting list get help. “That’s the sad part,” he said.
The center has a 24-hour crisis hotline and referral service. They provide parenting classes, re-marriage courses and classes for children for anger management and to work on social skills. They also have therapy for victims of child abuse available.
Nelson stated that the center strengthens families and protects children. They have been a nonprofit organization since 1982. “I’m impressed with how much they accomplish with so little funding,” Nelson said.
On April 1 at the county courthouse there will be a kick-off campaign. The center will line up shoes to represent all of the victims from the past year on the courthouse steps. For a minor fee you can donate to the center and give a neighbor something they call flamingo flocking, where they place some flamingos on someone’s lawn. There will be donation boxes available at Lee’s and Macy’s grocery stores in town as well. There will be Baby Animal Days and the American Heritage Center where you can give donations.
The center receives most of its funds at the dinner and auction they will be holding at the Copper Mill on April 1. The grants they are given only help them through half of the year so this event is very important to their funding. A Roaring Twenties theme will be in place for anyone attending the dinner.
NW
Tags: April, child abuse prevention, County Council, Lynn Nelson
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