(LtoR) Madison Area YMCA Family Center staff proudly proclaim that Child Abuse Prevention and Safety is a focus All Day, Every Day! Back row: VP, Member & Support Services Joe Gonsalves; Facilities Technician Mike DeStefano; Community Engagement Manager Kwisha Baxi; VP, HR Kathy Martini; Board Member & HR/Child Protection Committee Chair Anne Hargrave, Marketing & Comms Ops Director Lisa Tubbs; Front row: President & CEO Diane Mann, Assoc. Director, HR Ops Christina Greene, Member Services Rep. Linda Ferriero, Member Services Director Cathy Landolfi, Sr. Director, Aquatics Yean Jimenez. 

(LtoR) During Child Abuse Prevention Month, and all year long, F.M. Kirby Children’s Center of the Madison Area YMCA staff proudly proclaim that Child Abuse Prevention and safety is a focus All Day! (L-R) Back row: Gloria Tobon, Sharon Kunas, Aimee Arguedas, Sandra Vallejo, David Orozco, Rosemary Adamo, Michael Andersen, Kelly-Ann Wilson, Fran Roman, Sara Carnival, Lee Ann O'Donnell, Rebecca Natafalusy, Kare Matrisciano; Front row: Arlene Colardeau, Kristina Hollosi, Jenifer Arbelaez, Cora Terzo, Rachel Scharf, Tabitha Curcio, Jeanne Ortman, Diane Mann. 

(Madison, NJ) - April 10, 2024 – The Madison Area YMCA is participating in the Five Days of Action, April 15-19, 2024. The Five Days of Action is a weeklong campaign to raise awareness and inspire adults to protect children from sexual abuse. By taking part in this important campaign and implementing abuse prevention practices year-round, the Madison Area YMCA continues to commit to the safety of all children in our community – all day, every day.

There is nothing more important in our Y community than the safety and healthy development of children. Our Five Days of Action helps us engage our whole community in supporting this goal, said Madison Area YMCA CEO Diane Mann. "By joining in the Five Days of Action campaign, and by hosting Healthy Kids Day, we hope to inspire other organizations and community members to create safe spaces that protect children from sexual abuse.

Visit the Five Days of Action table at Healthy Kids Day to learn more about the Know. See. Respond. Campaign," said Madison Area YMCA Community Engagement Manager Kwisha Baxi. “Childhelp, Common Sense Media, and Committee for Children have shared resources to support the Five Days of Action campaign.

KNOWing the facts about child sexual abuse can help adults better understand what to look for and how to prevent it. Parents, caregivers, and trusted adults play a vital role in protecting young people from abuse. Learn more about the several types of abuse, the signs, and how you can help at childhelphotline.org.

Media and technology are at the center of children's lives every day. With more of life happening online, what catches their attention is not always what is best for them. As a parent or caregiver, you may SEE a child interacting with media daily, and you can be equipped with the tools and resources to make sure any environment (including online) is free from any abuse. Learn more at commonsensemedia.org/articles/online-safety.

How can you RESPOND to the call to help prevent child sexual abuse? Committee for Children has created the Hot Chocolate Talk campaign, packing decades of research into easy-to-use guides to help you begin these crucial conversations – at any age, from toddler to teen. Visit cfchildren.org/resources/child-abuse-prevention/ to learn more and empower a child to report and refuse sexual abuse.

As a part of the Y's commitment to the protection and safety of children, Five Days of Action offers an opportunity to share the breadth of routine measures the YMCA has in place, helpful facts for adults to know, and opportunities for community members to support healthy childhood experiences," said Madison Area YMCA Board Member and Chair of the HR/Child Protection Committee Anne Hargrave. We take our commitment to child protection seriously. And we hope you do, too.

The Madison Area YMCA encourages adults and organizations to join in marking this week as our community comes together to create a safer place for children to live, learn, and play. With summer right around the corner—when children gather for activities and camps, it is the perfect time to bring attention to the simple ways we can all make the children in our community safer.

For more information, visit https://www.madisonareaymca.org/about-us/commitment-to-youth-and-child-safety