For more information contact:
Madison Area YMCA
Marketing & Communications Department
lcozewith@madisonymca.org

For Immediate Release

COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER TO PROTECT CHILDREN
MADISON AREA YMCA joins the Five Days of Action to protect children from sexual abuse

In recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month and the Five Days of Action in April, Madison Area YMCA staff planted pinwheels, the national symbol of child abuse prevention, to draw positive attention to keeping children safe and motivate the public to learn more.

(Madison, NJ ) – April 18, 2022- The Madison Area YMCA is participating in the Five Days of Action, April 18-22, 2022. The Five Days of Action is a weeklong campaign to raise awareness and inspire adults to take action to protect children from sexual abuse.

The Madison Area YMCA encourages adults and organizations to join in marking this special week we come together to make our community a safer place for children to live, learn, and play. With summer right around the corner—when children gather for activities and camps, there is no better time to bring attention to the simple ways we can all make the children in our community safer.

Madison Area YMCA Board Member and Human Resources and Child Protection Committee Chair Anne Hargrave said, “Protecting children from abuse must be one of the highest priorities for every person who cares about the health and wellbeing of kids. Together we can ensure that children are protected and adults in our community are aware of prevention tips, how to identify when boundaries have been crossed and what to do when you have a reasonable suspicion that abuse has occurred."  

During the Five Days of Action, the Madison Area YMCA is engaging these critical steps of prevention, KNOW. SEE. RESPOND., that will help adults better protect children. When adults know how abuse happens, see the warning signs, and respond quickly to prevent abuse, they foster a culture of child abuse prevention. Together, we can bring awareness to the issue of child sexual abuse in our communities and have important conversations about how we can all work together to prevent it from happening.

“All children have the right to a safe and secure childhood, and it's our responsibility as adults and organizations to stand up and protect that right,” said Madison Area YMCA President & CEO Diane Mann. “By joining in the Five Days of Action KNOW. SEE. RESPOND. campaign, we intend to inspire other organizations and community members to create additional safe spaces that protect children from sexual abuse.”

The Madison Area YMCA with support from the YMCA Champions for Child Protection, YMCA of the USA, Darkness to Light, Redwoods Group Foundation, Monique Burr Foundation for Children, and American Camp Association, have made materials available to help adults learn more about preventing child sexual abuse.

For more information about preventing child sexual abuse, visit www.fivedaysofaction.org or www.madisonareaymca.org/child-protection. Materials are derived from YMCA of the USA’s “Know. See. Respond.” copyrighted in 2020.

As a mission-driven charitable organization and community wellness center, the Madison Area YMCA is dedicated to nurturing the potential of our youth, providing a safe space for teens, improving the community’s health and well-being, and giving back by providing support to our neighbors. 

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