In 1983, a presidential proclamation declared April as Child Abuse Prevention Month. Sunrise Children’s Services joins with our partners to shine a light on this issue every year with the goal of one day permanently breaking the cycle of child abuse.

One such partner is Face It, created in 2012 as a response to the outcry against the growing number of child abuse deaths in Kentucky. The goal of the Face It movement is to end child abuse by promoting best practices in child abuse prevention, community engagement and effective policies to improve the child welfare system. Find out more about Face It at faceitabuse.org.

Sunrise will join Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky as it declares April 5 as Wear Blue Day to show our commitment to child abuse prevention. This is one way Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky is fulfilling its vision of engaging partners to make the ending of child maltreatment a public priority. More information and resources can be found at pcaky.org.

Sunrise is working with these partners to bring awareness to Child Abuse Prevention Month in April.

“Kentucky has the third highest drug overdose death rate in the United States, the second highest rate of parents incarcerated in the nation and ranks first in the nation for children living with relatives other than their parents,” said Sunrise President Dale Suttles.

“Today, Sunrise’s census has surpassed 1,200 individuals state-wide, responding to the nearly 10,000 youth currently in custody of the state because they’ve been removed from their homes to keep them safe and protected.”

We need your help to win the fight against child abuse and neglect in Kentucky. Kentucky Baptists can come together to help provide hope and healing to hurting children. Churches and community groups can host informational meetings about foster care, foster-to-adopt and child abuse prevention.

Church members can also surround a foster family in their congregation with the support and encouragement they need through our Be the One program.

Youth groups can sponsor a fundraiser or adopt a residential center. Children’s ministries can collect a mile of pennies for Sunrise. Go to sunrise.org/10-ways-to-help-kids for more ideas.

As we celebrate Sunrise’s 150th anniversary this year, let’s work together beginning this month. Let’s wear blue on April 5 to show our commitment to end child abuse.

Let’s make Kentucky’s children a priority. Only together will we win the fight for Kentucky’s kids.

“We will not let drug addiction, poverty, and abuse win this current war on families,” shared Suttles. “We are dedicated to changing the lives of hurting children even if it takes us another 150 years.”

By David Lyninger, Sunrise Associate Director of Communications