(Madison, NJ) – April 21, 2023 - The Madison Area YMCA is participating in the Five Days of Action, April 24-28, 2023. Five Days of Action is a week-long campaign designed to raise awareness and inspire adults to protect children from sexual abuse. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, U.S. Center for SafeSport and Praesidium have shared resources to support this campaign. For more information https://www.ymca.org/fivedaysofaction  

The week will include the Madison Area YMCA displaying pinwheel gardens at their facilities (the blue pinwheel is a symbol for child abuse protection), and YMCA board members speaking with and handing out materials to Y members on ways to protect children and information on the Y’s child protection policies.   

Madison Area YMCA Board Member and Chair of the Human Resources and Child Protection Committee Anne Hargrave said, “Protecting children from abuse must be one of the highest priorities for every person who cares about the health and well-being 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."   

The Madison Area YMCA encourages adults and organizations to join in marking this special week as we come together to make the community 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 a wonderful time to bring attention to the simple ways we can all make the children in our community safer. 

The Know. See. Respond. campaign is back this year, tying in three impact areas –preventing child sexual abuse at both summer camp and in youth sports, and internet safety. 

“All children have the right to a secure and safe childhood, and it's our responsibility as adults and organizations to stand up to protect that right,” said Diane Mann, President/CEO of the Madison Area YMCA. “By joining in the Five Days of Action campaign, we hope to inspire other organizations and members of our community to create safe spaces that protect children from 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. For more information about financial assistance or to make a tax-deductible donation, visit our website at www.madisonareaymca.org.     

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