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Foundation Focus |
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Your
Foundation Focus September 2009
OUR
MISSION
OUR
VISION
ABC Primetime Special Features Exchange Program On Wednesday, September 16, ABC Primetime aired a special program on parenting that featured families from our Exchange Club Child Abuse Prevention network. Along with clips of family interactions, the special included a variety of interviews. A panel - consisting of Linda Riggs, Salamanca, NY Exchange Club Center Executive Director; Karen Askew, National Exchange Club Foundation Interim Executive Director; and Alan Kazdin, Ph.D., professor of psychology and child psychology at Yale University - discussed the interactions. The program focused on the fact that parenting can be extremely challenging, but help is available. Parents featured in the special had all been abused themselves as children and did not want to continue the cycle with their own children. Each of them realized that they needed new skills and additional resources for the job of raising their own children. So they contacted their local Exchange Club Center for Prevention of Child Abuse for help. We were fortunate to share the panel with Dr. Alan Kazdin from Yale University. Dr. Kazdin has conducted extensive research with families in his clinic, and his approaches to parenting coincide with those of our Parent Aide Program and other programs throughout the nation: positively reinforcing the behaviors you want to encourage in children is more effective than punishment. This message recurs repeatedly throughout the field of child abuse prevention – from the position papers of the American Association of Pediatrics to the research on child development programs, to the reported outcomes of parenting classes and home visiting programs. If you missed the special, you can still watch online: www.abcnews.go.com/Primetime.
Our Role in the Field of Child Abuse Prevention The opportunity to have positive exposure on one of our nation’s major networks points to the way in which our Exchange Parent Aide model is perceived at the national level. ABC contacted us, requesting our participation, having learned that we are considered to have a successful parenting program. In communities where we have Child Abuse Prevention centers, our services are appreciated by collateral agencies working with families at the community level. At the national level, we are recognized as leaders in the field of Child Abuse Prevention for our awareness programs as well as our direct service programs. Some of our members may not realize that we are charter members of the National Child Abuse Coalition, in Washington, DC. Among some 30 other member organizations are the American Bar Association, American Psychological Association, and the Child Welfare League of America. Through the Children’s Bureau, Administration on Children and Families, of the US Department of Health and Human Services, we are also Partners in Prevention along with Prevent Child Abuse America, American Humane, and other prevention service providers. Through the years we have been asked to participate on the planning committee of the National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect, the selection committee for promising practices in the field of Child Abuse Prevention, the National Call to Action (to end child abuse), the summit for Building Public Will for Prevention, and other national initiatives. We are currently active in efforts to build national support for home visiting programs. The Centers for Disease Control has identified child abuse as a national epidemic and recognizes home visiting to be an effective approach to change long standing practices and habits that can lead to child maltreatment. Exchange Club members can be proud that our national project, our child abuse awareness programs, and our Exchange Parent Aide model are well-known and respected in the child abuse prevention field.
SBS Campaign Update You may have noticed some changes in the look of our new Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) prevention awareness materials. Utilizing the latest research in the field of child abuse prevention, and shaken baby syndrome in particular, we have focused our new materials on response to infant crying. Research shows that the vast majority of SBS occurs in response to prolonged crying. The trend in the field has become to help parents and caregivers respond to crying by giving them tools and helping them understand the nature of infant behavior. Our new materials provide such guidance for caregivers who are dealing with infants during episodes of excessive crying. Check out www.cryingcode.org for more information, or follow the links to our supply department to order a supply of the new brochures.
Investing in America’s Future Leadership Named “Clyde and I have always believed in and supported the Foundation. We see this campaign as a way to bring it to the forefront, not only for Exchange Club members, but beyond.” So says Doris Ash of our national development campaign. Doris and Clyde are new members of the Campaign Leadership Committee, which is helping to move the campaign forward. Our Campaign Leadership Committee is growing, and new members have been added over the past month. Co-chairing the campaign are Mike Jernigan and Yvonne Ledoux, with Gerald Franklin as our Honorary Chair. Others include: Doris and Clyde Ash (Simpsonville, S.C.), Dr. "C" (Carolyn) Beal-Lavoie (El Paso, TX), Charlie Braddock (Anderson, IN), Judy Bunch (Houston, TX), Larry Crismond (West Palm Beach, FL), Rick Gordon (Upland, CA), Dick Harsin (Lynnwood, WA), John Hood (Murfreesboro, TN), Sen. Bill Ketron (Murfreesboro, TN), Sid Mobley (El Paso, TX), John Piegsa (Houston, TX) and Ken Warner (Terre Haute, IN). The campaign is moving forward and gaining momentum, with over $1.3 million already being committed toward our $5.5 million goal. The campaign is being overseen by a Steering Committee, comprised of Gerald Franklin, Rick Gordon, Mike Jernigan, and Ken Warner. Foundation interim executive director Karen Askew and Bob Hartsook are Ex-officio members. Investing in America’s Future is our opportunity to spread the Exchange Club name, and strengthen our organization for future generations to come. For more information, please contact any member of the committee or call the Foundation at 800-924-2643. Yours in Exchange,
Richard Gordon NEC Foundation President
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