Care in Action Update

Fall 2011 Volume 2, Issue 3 How You Helped last Quarter

You are changing the lives of area children and families. Care in Action Minnesota exists to help children and families recover from and prevent child maltreatment. We do this by reaching out and providing basic life needs and supports that help them work toward their identified goals. CIAM e-mail partners helped several families this past quarter. Here are some of their stories:

Edina Realty Provides More Funds to Prevent Homelessness

Care in Action Minnesota received a $2,000 grant from the Edina Realty Foundation in August that will enable us to help more children and families in the child protection/child welfare system to avoid homelessness. A previous grant from the Edina Realty Foundation of $5,000 last Octoberplus help from our e-mail partnershas already allowed CIAM to help eight young adults impacted by child maltreatment who were aging out of foster care get situated in their first homes. Thanks to Edina Realty for helping us make a difference in the lives of more children and families!

We helped a young mother who had endured abuse from her parents, and then in foster care, get a new computer for her college classes after her abusive husband took her computer and sold it. Despite the abuse this mother endured as a child, as she was aging out of foster care this winter and moving into an apartment with her cultural husband (an arranged marriage within her culture, but not recognized by the state) it seemed as if her life was coming together. She was in a four-year nursing program, and finished her first semester with a 4.0 GPA. But then her husband started beating her and their child. Her grades started falling. Her husband kicked her out of the apartment and sold her computer. A county social worker helped her secure a new apartment, however, the police said her computer was likely gone for good. With only about a month before classes were set to start, the need was urgent, but Care in Action E-mail Partners responded. Thank you for making a difference in the life of this family! A young mother with two children who was mugged shortly after fleeing an abusive situation was able to have the locks on her doors changed (her keys and ID were stolen) thanks to the support of CIAM.

In the Community
Peter Singer, Care in Action Minnesotas founder, spoke at the Prevention and the Child Protection Professional conference Oct. 5 at the Mall of Americas conference hall. He talked about bridging the gap between the child protection system and the faith community so the two can work together to prevent child maltreatment. Well post video from the speech soonwatch our Facebook page for it.

Please Become a Facebook Fan!

Care in Action Minnesota is on Facebook! Please become a fan, and spread the word to your friends. This is a great way to make sure you dont miss a need if your e-mail inbox tends to get cluttered. Our Web address is: https://www.facebook.com/ careinactionmn.

Partnership Opportunities
CIAM would like to partner with you or your organization to help prevent child maltreatment. Consider hosting a community forum on ways the community can prevent and respond to maltreatment. CIAM will provide training, answer questions, and facilitate a discussion of practical steps people can take to protect the safety of our children. Churches, Bible studies, civic organizations, clubs, and small businesses are all ideal settings for this discussion. You or your organization can also partner with CIAMs Adopt a Social Worker program to help directly meet the needs of children and families impacted by maltreatment. Finally, spread the word. Let people know about child maltreatment and ways they can make a difference. Ask your friends to join our Email Partners, or make them aware of needs when they arise. The more people we have working with us, the more children and families we will be able to reach.

To find out more about partnering with CIAM, contact Pete Singer at 651-747-6370 or info@careinactionmn.org.

Consider Giving
Please consider giving to Care in Action. Your continued help through community partnerships and giving to specific child and family needs is essential. One-hundred percent of those gifts goes directly to the children and families. Care in Action also has many ongoing organizational expenses. Please consider giving to meet these ongoing expenses that allow us to continue reaching out to children and families impacted by child maltreatment. For more information, please contact Pete Singer at 651-747- 6370 or info@careinactionmn.org. You can make donations through our website at www.careinactionmn.org or mail them to: Care in Action Minnesota P.O. Box 28838 Oakdale, MN 55128

Facts and Tips about Personal Safety for Youth

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children: Approximately one in seven youth online, ages 10 to 17, received a sexual solicitation or approach over the Internet. Twenty-seven percent of the youth who encountered unwanted sexual material told a parent or guardian. If the encounter was defined as distressingepisodes that made them feel very or extremely upset or afraid42 percent told a parent or guardian. The U.S. Department of Justice reports: 797,500 children (younger than 18) were reported missing in a one-year period of time studied resulting in an average of 2,185 children being reported missing each day. 203,900 children were the victims of family abductions. 58,200 children were the victims of non-family abductions. 115 children were the victims of stereotypical kidnapping. These crimes involve someone the child does not know or a slight acquaintance who holds the child overnight, transports the child 50 miles or more, kills the child, demands ransom or intends to keep the child permanently. The key to prevention of child abuse and abduction is to have ongoing, open, honest conversations with youth about personal safety. Since the majority of abductions and victimizations are perpetrated by someone known to the child, it is crucial that caregivers are aware of and familiar with the people in their children's lives. This includes online relationships. All children should have five safe adults they can go to if things do not feel right or they are uncomfortable with a situation. If you are not talking to your children, who will? Molly Cirillo, Care in Action Minnesota Board Member