AmeriCorps: Program Overview
Child abuse is preventable. Almost all parents love their children and do not want to harm them. Unfortunately, some families are isolated and need social support, face major stresses, lack important parenting skills, and/or have limited resources. The risk of child abuse can be reduced if families receive appropriate and timely social support, respite child care and education. These services help increase what are called protective factors – characteristics that have been shown to buffer children from the possibility of abuse.
From the beginning of its AmeriCorps program in 2007, Prevent Child Abuse Iowa has seen the value that members can bring to community-based efforts to increase protective factors. Members have shown skill and commitment in supporting these programs in a wide variety of ways:
- Raise community awareness of issue and prevention efforts
- Support of individual Families & Children
- Enroll participants in parenting classes
- Recruit & develop community leaders as volunteers in prevention efforts
The Partnering to Protect Children Project currently has eight members serving 16 Iowa counties. From September 2010 through June 2011, these members have:
- Completed 13,000 hours of service
- Conducted 318 presentations to community members/groups about child abuse prevention programs/activities
- Recruited 1,100 community volunteers to participate in 2,600 service hours for 102 programs/projects
Make a Donation
Make a donation and help put an end to child abuse in the state of Iowa.
