On April 3, 2017, officers and detectives from NOPD’s Child Abuse Unit joined Prevent Child Abuse Louisiana (PCAL) and their community partners to officially kick-off April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month. The group planted a pinwheel garden in Audubon Park to help raise awareness. They utilized bright blue pinwheels as a national symbol of innocent, happy childhoods.
PCAL is the Louisiana chapter for the Prevent Child Abuse America (PCAA) organization. Founded in Chicago in 1972, PCAA is devoted to promoting healthy development of children and preventing child abuse. The organization strives to help children to grow up healthy and contribute to their communities. The 50 state Chapter Network works to promote the kind of strategies and activities that make a difference locally as well as nationally. In addition, PCAA helps nearly 100,000 families a year through the Healthy Families America program.
The Louisiana chapter has planned a number of events throughout April, including another pinwheel planting session at the New Orleans Juvenile Justice Center on April 11, and the CASA New Orleans Superhero 5K Race at Lafitte Greenway on April 22.
The group is also presenting a Painless Parenting Workshop with Dr. Stacey Patton on April 6 at Tulane University School of Medicine. Dr Patton is an award-winning journalist, child advocate, and author of That Mean Old Yesterday, and Spare the Kids: Why Whupping Children Won’t Save Black America. The title of Patton’s presentation is “Parents to Prison Pipeline.” Click here for tickets
On April 21, PCAL will host a Trees for Life ceremony in memory of the Louisiana children who died from abuse or neglect in 2016. The ceremony will take place from 2-4 p.m. at the New Orleans Advocacy Center training room.
PCAL will plant a total of nine pinwheel gardens across the state this yeat, and the organization expects to plant a total of 15,000 pinwheels in 2017. In addition to NOPD, PCAL’s planting partners include: the Archdiocese of New Orleans, Audubon Institute, Audrey Hepburn CARE Center and New Orleans Children’s Advocacy Center (NOCAC) at Children’s Hospital, CASA of Jefferson Parish, CASA of New Orleans, Jefferson Children’s Advocacy Center, Project 18 and Sigma Delta Tau Sorority at Tulane University.
About Prevent Child Abuse Louisiana
Since 1986 Prevent Child Abuse Louisiana has been dedicated to preventing the abuse and neglect of children throughout Louisiana. From help with potty training to keeping kids safe from sexual abuse, PCA Louisiana supports parents and children with evidence-based programs and community-based education. For more information, to volunteer or to donate, visit www.pcal.org.