The Associated Press published an article over the weekend about the child protection efforts by national youth serving organizations including the YMCA. The article specifically mentions the work local YMCAs are doing to increase awareness and educate adults in the community.
Like Big Brothers Big Sisters, the YMCA of the USA relies on its locally run affiliates to implement and enforce child-protection policies, although the national office provides support and guidance.
"Our Y's have to be diligent on this issue every second of every day," said Kent Johnson, the national Y's chief operating officer.
Johnson said about 40 YMCA affiliates are
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by Tyler Gilliam on
January 20, 2012 | 10:34 am
Darkness to Light is getting increased response for workshops on preventing childhood sexual abuse since the Penn State scandal. A local pastor has spoken out about his experience.
Darwin Hobbs, who is training to become a Darkness to Light facilitator, said he was sexually abused by his stepfather from 10- to 12-years-old.
“For many years I kept it secret and I did not tell a soul until I was about to marry my wife Tracy, in 1993,” said Hobbs, 43, a worship
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Merrimack Valley YMCA has already trained 413 individual’s in 2012 and they have 2 more trainings to go this month! What a way to start the new year!
They have also just received a $4,000 donation from their local Rotary Club to support their Darkness to Light initiative! This will go a long way in their efforts to train all of the Methuen Public Schools and the Methuen Fire Department.
Keep up the amazing work Merrimack Valley YMCA! We are so proud
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by Tyler Gilliam on
January 13, 2012 | 11:11 am
This video was sent to us from a film student in South Africa. We were blown away with the PSA, and we want to thank David for telling this...
The Delaware Community Foundation has awarded grants totaling $220,000 to three statewide, multi-agency initiatives to expand mentoring, reduce child sexual abuse and empower financially vulnerable Delawareans.
The DCF’s collaborative grant program seeks to fund initiatives in which multiple nonprofit agencies work together to maximize their collective capabilities and provide powerful services to Delawareans statewide. Every three years, the DCF solicits applications and selects one or more initiatives to fund for the subsequent three years. Grant money comes from the earnings of the DCF’s unrestricted fund.
The YMCA of Delaware will receive $100,000 to support “Stewards of Children Sexual Child Abuse Prevention.”
This program’s
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HAMMOND — Several dozen community workers — from campus police to child-care providers — attended a training session a few weeks before Christmas, at Southeastern Louisiana University. The training session was aimed at helping the most vulnerable of victims: children. Read
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Recently we blogged about an amazing song that was written by a group of Penn State students and alumni in the wake of Penn State's sexual abuse case. The song itself was dedicated to the victims in hopes that it may bring healing and comfort to them. The writer of the song, Joe Conrad has recently agreed to donate the funds to us here at Darkness to Light to further our prevention efforts. Often times in the wake of something horrible it is hard to see the silver lining but Mr. Conrad has helped us all see that out of
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Penn State students & alumni wrote a very powerful and moving song for the young sex abuse victims. To read about the song writers and learn more about their goals in writing the song please click here.
To listen to the song and watch the moving music video click here.
Lyrics:
"Innocent community. So naive.
Standing firm in your beliefs, and your perfect dreams.
Then one day it fell apart and sent you flying through the darkness.
You were broken-hearted.
Heroes falling from our skies amidst the cloud of hurt and lies.
You can hear
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Sending Season's Greetings to the D2L family of friends, facilitators, supporters and advocates.
Thanks for all your passion and hard work in 2011.
We look forward to our partnership in 2012 and continuing the efforts to end child sexual abuse.
HAPPY
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This news segment really struck me today. See what Dallas sports anchor, Dale Hansen shares with his viewers. (His commentary appears after the music video so stay tuned long enough hear what he says
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