LEXINGTON, KY. — Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky (PCAK) received a Community Awareness award for its 2021 child sexual abuse prevention campaign, titled “Are They Good For Your Kids?” The campaign, funded by the Child Victim’s Trust Fund, has received more than 2 million impressions across all platforms.
“We are dedicated to improving lives and outcomes for Kentucky kids,” said PCAK Executive Director, Jill Seyfred” This campaign has allowed us to share research-backed approaches to doing just that.”
This award is part of the Adsposure Transit Awards as a way to recognize the efforts of marketing teams across the country who have worked to create stand-out ads in the categories of Biggest Impact, Creativity, Community Awareness, and Eye-Level.
“Our community of partners and advertisers really ran with these new awards, as one more way to showcase the great work they are doing, and to keep these awesome campaigns alive a little longer,” Alex Souders, Adsposure Director of Marketing, said. “It just shows how much appreciation people have for this medium, how it gives back to the community and what it feels like to see your campaigns on the road every day. It’s definitely been a success having these awards, and the ability to recognize these local, regional, and national businesses on the same stage.”
To see all of the nominees, visit adsposure.com/2021-transit-awards. You can find more information about Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky at pcaky.org.
That’s what it seemed like this week, in Kentucky, in Florida, all around the country. “Pedophile” and “child abuser” are the latest insults du jour. The Washington Post did an entire story about, and I’m not kidding on this, “groomer rhetoric.”
This is, of course, disgusting, and should be the latest and most important reason for decent Republicans to rise up against their right wing. There could be nothing more horrifically cynical than taking one of the most heinous crimes on the planet and politicizing it with lies to win support and votes.
Most awful is the fact that child sexual abuse is a real and terrible problem here in Kentucky and elsewhere. But it’s not at Democratic Party headquarters or the Estill County music department. It’s at your family reunion or vacation bible school, hidden away in shame and secrecy.
“These are offensive political maneuvers,” said Terry Brooks, director of Kentucky Youth Advocates. “To politicize child abuse should shock our moral compass and should render those people unqualified for office. I get politics, but this is outrageous.”
These political battles conflate gender identity and sexuality with child sex abuse, making it harder to pinpoint how the problem needs to be solved. Advocates say the vast majority of child sex abuse perpetrators are “heterosexual,” most of them adult men abusing little girls. Abuse occurs everywhere, across socioeconomic levels, religion, race. Political affiliation has nothing to do with it either.
APRIL IS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH
In one of those bizarre twists of life, it just so happens that all these political maneuvers and made up scandals are happening in April, which is Child Abuse Prevention Month, so a lot of advocates are out and about to talk about the real and serious issues.
Such as: One in four girls and one in 14 boys will experience child sexual abuse at some point in childhood; and 90 percent of child sexual abuse victims know their abuser. Last year, Kentucky reported 1,853 substantiated cases of child sex abuse, which represents 8 percent of all abuse and neglect cases.
It’s not a teacher with rainbow flags in the classroom and it’s not a teacher hosting a group of kids, “it’s the teacher or coach who invites one child to a BBQ after school,” said Winn Stephens, executive director of the Children’s Advocacy Center of the Bluegrass, which provides a full spectrum of victim services, from physical exams to counseling to advocates through the court system. “It’s the coach or the church pastor or the uncle, mom’s boyfriends, step grandparents — the people who are grooming and doing this crime are not strangers.”
Someone’s sexuality does not make them more likely to abuse, Stephens said. The the vast majority of cases he sees are what we would describe as heterosexual men abusing little girls or women abusing little boys. About 65 percent of the center’s clients are girls.
Kentucky ranks somewhere near the top of national rankings for child abuse, although advocates are wary of these rankings because they compare different things and because it might be caused by some of Kentucky’s progress in the area. For example, Kentucky is a mandatory reporting state for everyone, which means every single person is required to report suspicions of abuse and neglect, not just teachers and policemen. (The reporting line is 1-877-KYSAFE1.) In addition, Lexington’s first Child Advocacy Center, started by former Commonwealth’s Attorney Ray Larson and the current Commonwealth’s Attorney Lou Anna Red Corn back in the 1990s have been established in the state’s 15 area development districts.
DARKNESS INTO LIGHT
On Wednesday, Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky started a new campaign called “Safety and Awareness for Every BODY,” aimed at getting communities to recognize and talk about child sexual abuse.
“We know people want to prevent child sex abuse,” said Jill Seyfred, the group’s executive director. “We also know that no one wants to talk about it.”
Shame and stigma means children are ignored and adults stay silent. “We can’t make kids responsible for their own safety,” said Janna Estep Jordan, director of operations. “We have to talk about it in the open.”
That means talking about correct body parts and being honest and open with kids so they understand the potential dangers. Angela Bailey, director of development for the Bluegrass Children’s Advocacy Center who is herself a survivor of child sex abuse, says that’s what she would like to see above all else. “For me it starts at home, with talking to your kids and making sure they’re comfortable with saying no and their own bodies,” she said. “How many times did people say go hug Uncle So and So? Those little simple things that we do with kids send them messages that they’re not allowed to say no.
In a recent editorial, Bailey wrote about how she taught her kids to use the proper names for body parts because she didn’t want them to feel shame about their bodies. “That is not grooming or sexualizing children, it’s about making all children feel comfortable with their bodies.
She also wants people to know that if something happens, it’s imperative to get help. Her abuser had many victims, she said, and one of the others was one of her cousins. Unlike Bailey, her cousin did not ever get treatment or counseling and her life was one of chaos and crisis, one she did not survive.
“We talk about the financial costs of untreated child sexual abuse, but the human toll is much greater,” Bailey said.
There will also be a toll to conflating the politics of gender identity with this grave problem.
‘I makes me very sad,” she said. “Gender identity and pedophilia are not the same things — empowering people to not be ashamed of who they are is not the same thing as hurting a child.”
The child abuse reporting hotline is 1-877-KYSAFE1. On Monday, April 11, the Children’s Advocacy Center of the Bluegrass will hold a pinwheel planting to raise awareness of child sex abuse at their office at 162 N. Ashland Ave., Lexington, KY 40502 at 10:30 a.m.. Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky will hold a similar event on the front lawn of the Capitol in Frankfort on Monday at 10 a.m. with Gov. Andy Beshear and First Lady Britainy Beshear.
This story was originally published April 7, 2022 2:14 PM.
LINDA BLACKFORD (859) 231-1359 Linda Blackford writes columns and commentary for the Herald-Leader. She has covered K-12, higher education and other topics for the past 20 years at the Herald-Leader.
You’ve heard it said, “it takes a whole community to raise a child?” Well, it takes a whole community to keep them safe! Recently, PCAK had the privilege of recording an educational video to empower adults to have uncomfortable conversations with other adults on child sexual abuse prevention. While we know children should NEVER be made responsible for their own safety, research tells us when parents and caregivers talk openly about body safety with their children, it strengthens the family and lessens risk of sexual abuse. The “Safety and Awareness for Every BODY” campaign launched April 6th with a variety of tools for individuals, families and communities. New tools include the Safety and Awareness for Every BODY educational video, corresponding tip sheet,and new online training!
Here are ways you can become involved and make a direct impact in your community:
Promote this campaign on social media. Visit any Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky social media page (why not visit and share on all sites) and share this information with your followers. Use #SafetyAwarenessEveryBODY.
Order or download the “Safety and Awareness for Every BODY” tip sheet! It’s never too early or too late to start this conversation with your kids or empower the parents and caregivers you work with to start these conversations.
Include this information in your organizations Newsletter! Forward this information to colleagues. Let us do the work for you. Contact pcaky@pcaky.org and we will draft the newsletter for you.
Take time to watch the New online training “Raising Safe, Smart, & Healthy Children: Addressing Healthy Child Development as a Strategy to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse.” Find out how healthy child sexual development strengthens families & lessens the risk of child sexual abuse. Learn more here!This training can be taken at any time, 24/7. Participants who complete the evaluation will receive a general certificate of completion. Family Resource and Youth Service Center training credits are available and Social Work CEU’s.
Promote the “Raising Safe, Smart, & Healthy Children: Addressing Healthy Child Development as a Strategy to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse” training with your networks. If you are an employer or supervisor allow your staff time to complete this training. Watch this training as a staff and discuss ways to implement child sexual abuse prevention education in your work with families and children.
Contact us! We are excited you want to be involved and would love to hear your ideas on promoting this content in your community.
This publication/program is funded in part by the Child Victims’ Trust Fund. This project is funded in part or in whole with state or federal funds through a contract (#PON2 736 2000003480) with the KY Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
As the world’s elite athletes prepare for the Winter Olympics to commence this Friday in Beijing, a new, independent report prepared by the Game Over Commission to Protect Child Athletes and CHILD USA makes a clear call for changes in the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, from the top down.
The report – “I believe competitive gymnastics and other elite sports break children.” A Case-Study of Systemic Abuse in Sports Perpetrated by Larry Nassar – includes important findings that identify a systemic failure across youth-serving organizations, including sports institutions, and recommendations for changing the power dynamic baked into such institutions that facilitated Nassar’s crimes. And notably, it includes action items for lawmakers, athletic organizations and medical licensing boards to address these systemic gaps and breakdowns that have continuously allowed abusers to harm children.
All of this is a step in the right direction. With this report, lawmakers, leaders and organizations now have action plans in hand to help them protect children and young adults who are chasing their dreams.
No child should ever experience the horrific atrocities shared by the 500 young athletes Larry Nassar victimized and abused over his far too many years in power. From Larry Nassar to Jerry Sandusky at Penn State University, and from Richard Strauss at Ohio State University to Robert Anderson at the University of Michigan – which just announced a $490 million settlement to his more than 1,000 victims – unfortunately, these devastating situations are not unique. We must do better.
We work hard every day to advocate for and support “upstream” policies and programs that prevent child abuse before it happens, including within youth-serving organizations.
Prevention of child sexual abuse is possible when communities, and the adults in those communities, take bold action to create safe environments for children. The recommendations in this report, if followed, will make great progress in proactively stopping sexual, physical, mental, and emotional abuses before they can begin.
Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky has just released a new mini grant opportunity! In partnership with the Berea College Appalachian Fund, seven entities in the Appalachian region will be awarded materials related to the prevention of child sexual abuse. Recipients will be trained on how to effectively use these materials in their communities to keep kids safe. For more details, please see the below application. If you have any questions, contact Sara Early Jenkins at searlyjenkins@pcaky.org.
PCAK, Lotus, Kentucky DCBS Aid Western Kentucky Families through Geaux Bag Delivery
On January 5, 2022, Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky (PCAK), delivered 200 Geaux Bags to Lotus Children’s Advocacy & Sexual Violence Resource Center in Paducah, Kentucky. PCAK facilitated this donation via the Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services, whose representatives traveled from Baton Rouge to personally deliver the bags. The Geaux bags will be distributed to children impacted by the December 10, 2021 tornado that devasted the Western Kentucky area.
The Geaux Bags, generally used in Louisiana for a child’s first night in foster care, include many necessary supplies for children, including a pillow, blanket, personal care items, and an age-appropriate toy. Lotus and the Kentucky Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) will distribute the bags and other resources, including essential supplies, coping tools, and information about traumatic stress, to various area donation distribution zones and through direct deliveries to children and families.
“We are so grateful to our friends in Louisiana for reaching out with their offer of assistance, and for their personally making the trip to deliver the Geaux bags. Our spirit of partnership spans across state lines, and we know this donation will make a difference in the lives of children who have been uprooted because of the tornado in Western Kentucky,” said Jill Seyfred, Executive Director of Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky.
“Our community and statewide partnerships have played a key role in our efforts to address the needs of survivors, children, and families in our region impacted by the tornado,” said Lori Wells Brown, Executive Director of Lotus. “We are grateful to PCAK and the Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services for coordinating this donation, and to the Kentucky Department for Community Based Services, for their partnership in supporting impacted survivors, children, and families in building resilience as our communities continue recovery efforts.”
Founded in 1987, Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky is the leading statewide child abuse prevention organization. They are the Kentucky chapter of Prevent Child Abuse America and offer statewide programs and services.
Lotus is Kentucky’s designated Children’s Advocacy and Sexual Violence Resource Center for the Purchase Region. Lotus’s mission is to support survivors, strengthen families, and empower communities. Committed to ending child abuse and sexual violence, Lotus works to cultivate safe, equitable, just communities where all persons thrive.
The Kentucky Department for Community Based Services provides services and programs to enhance the self-sufficiency of families; improve safety and permanency for children and vulnerable adults; and engage families and community partners in a collaborative decision-making process.
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To learn more about Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky, visit www.pcaky.org.
To learn more about Lotus Children’s Advocacy and Sexual Violence Resource Center, visit www.hopehealgrow.org.
As we reflect back on 2021 and celebrate our accomplishments, our hearts are heavy as we continue, as a united Commonwealth, to lift our Western KY neighbors up with our prayers, donations and volunteer time. We thank you for your commitment to all Kentucky’s children, youth and families.
10. It’s hard to hire people during a pandemic. But, we are so pleased to welcome Amanda Royer (left) and Sara Early Jenkins (right) to our team. Amanda is our Manager of Partner Relations and Sara is our Programs and Trainings Coordinator. They started their tenure with us in October and hit the floor running.
9. Partnering with UofL to create surveys which will provide us with valuable data on our partners’ primary prevention and fatherhood activities, as well as a summary of how they are faring as a result of COVID.
8. Our work was nationally recognized when our staff was chosen to present four different workshops to national audiences. We are a small, but mighty staff who have trained thousands of people, and have a wealth of expertise in a wide array of topics. We’re so proud of our staff members!
7. Offering five trainings during Child Abuse Prevention Month that attracted 770 participants. Trainings were offered free-of-charge, thanks to our sponsor, WellCare.
6. Becoming an accredited No HIT Zone agency, and training 25 partners on how they can become No HIT Zones. We also provided technical assistance to another state who is looking to replicate our efforts.
5. Positive fatherhood engagement is critical to the overall success and well-being of a child. We are thrilled we received three grants to promote our work in this area. Thanks to Traditional Bank, American Electric Power and the Cralle Foundation for their support.
4. Even though we were (are?) in the throes of a pandemic, the breadth of participation we received for our Child Abuse Prevention Month activities was phenomenal. We distributed more than 40,000 pinwheels and almost 70,000 pieces of information. More than 60 groups participated in our Wear Blue Day efforts, and our website saw an increase of 36% in hits for the month.
3. We held our 2nd virtual Kids Are Worth It!® Conference in September, and again, drew more than 400 participants. Even more important, 97% of respondents to the conference survey said they learned of a new resource which will help them prevent child abuse and neglect.
2. Hosting KY’s inaugural Neglect Summit in August. The invitation-only event was well-received and featured national speakers, time for state discussion and action-planning. We held a follow-up planning session in December and are poised to mobilize on this important topic.
1. Launching our “Are They Good For Your Kids” campaign in April, thanks to a $26,600 grant from the Child Victim’s Trust Fund. The Campaign featured a kick-off with the Attorney General, and extensive media coverage. To date, the campaign has had almost 3,000,000 impressions.
For resources to support those affected by storms in Western Kentucky, click here. To donate to Prevent Child Kentucky, click here.
In the aftermath of the tornado that impacted Western Kentucky on Friday, December 10, PCAK has compiled a list of resources and ways to help those impacted. This list will be updated regularly as we receive additional needs from our Partners across the state.
Resources
The Kentucky Nonprofit Network is compiling a list of resources available as well as those needing assistance. To list a resource or request assistance, please use the forms below.
2. If your nonprofit needs assistance to be able to get up and running to provide services, please share that information here: https://bit.ly/nonprofitstormneeds.
Additionally, His House Ministries, a nondenominational church in Mayfield is organizing volunteers to clear debris and serving hot meals for victims of the tornado. Members are posting daily updates on their Facebook page, here: https://www.facebook.com/hishousetv.
1. Top Shelf Lobby is organizing a Christmas Toy Drive and diaper drive for those in the Mayfield community. Unwrapped donations will be accepted at Top Shelf Lobby (302 Shelby Street, Frankfort, KY 40601) or Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky (801 Corporate Drive, Ste. 120, Lexington, KY 40503) until noon on Friday, December 17.
2. The Kentucky Emergency Management Division has organized a survey to collect information from those who would like to donate their skills or time to those in Western Kentucky. At this time, please do not head to Western Kentucky thinking you are going to be able to help, as there are state and federal officials on-site coordinating all details and volunteer efforts.
3. If you are interested in donating items to those in Mayfield, donations can be taken or shipped to the Mayfield-Graves County Fairgrounds (1004 KY-121, Mayfield, KY 42066). Items needed include: water, flash lights, head lamps, batteries, work/ utility gloves, new socks, new undergarments, blankets, coats, warm clothes, shoes, and toiletry items).
4. Blood donation is especially important in the aftermath of a natural disaster. To donate blood at your local Kentucky Red Cross, please visit this link: https://www.redcrossblood.org/. To donate blood through the Kentucky Blood Center, please visit this link: https://kybloodcenter.org/find-a-drive/.
6. The Red Cross is currently accepting monetary donations several different ways:
a. Donate online here:
b. Text REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10 to American Red Cross Disaster Relief
c. To donate by phone via credit care, or to ask questions about donating money to the Red Cross, please call 1-800-HELP NOW (1-800-435-7669).
7. The United Way of Kentucky is accepting monetary donations to support impacted communities. To donate, visit this website: https://www.uwky.org/tornado. Families needing help can also call 211, Kentucky’s United Way helpline 24/7, 365 days a year.
8. The Rex Chapman Foundation is partnering with the Blue Grass Community Foundation to assist with tornado relief efforts. Donations are accepted online here: https://bgcf.givingfuel.com/rex-chapman-relief-fund.
9. Those in Dawson Springs especially need tarps, totes, and blankets.
10. Mercy Chefs, based in Virginia, are deploying to Mayfield to provide meals to victims. You can donate to their disaster relief efforts here: https://mercychefs.com/kytornado/.
11. Disaster Relief At Work, Inc. (DRAW) aims to help communities across the United States during natural disasters. DRAW is providing needed supplies to the affected communities from Kentucky to Arkansas in the next 24-36 hours. You Can support DRAW’s efforts here: https://drawbuckets.org/.
12. The Johnson Bar, a local business in Paducah, is collecting items to donate to first responders. For a list of items to donate and more information, please visit their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/thejohnsonbar/.
13. The Community foundation of Western Kentucky has set up a Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund. Donations can be mailed to- CFWS Disaster Relief Fund PO Box 7 Paducah, KY 42001, dropped off at the US Bank Building- 333 Broadway, Suite 530, Paducah, KY 42001, or made online here: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=ZJN8MRXNLQV2G.
15. The Kentucky State Police have created a Western Kentucky Tornado Relief page, found here: https://kentuckystatepolice.org/westernky-relief/. This page contains opportunities for volunteering, donations, and FEMA relief.
The Kentucky Red Cross has established the following shelters:
First United Methodist Church,100 Church St., Hickman, KY 42050 – Contact: Justin Jackson 270-254-0261
Wingo Old Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 334 Lebanon St, Wingo, KY 42088 – Contact: Pastor RB Mays 270-983-0333
The Way Center, 449 Lebanon Street, Wingo, KY, 42088 – Contact: Pastor Ike Murphy 270-564-0699 (The Wingo Old Cumberland Presbyterian church and The Way are next door to each other and are sharing resources)
Fancy Farm Knights of Columbus Hall, 20 KY Hwy 39, Fancy Farm, Kentucky, 42039, – Contact: Todd Hayden, Commissioner 270-705-1051
Lone Oak First Baptist Church, 3601 Lone Oak Road, Paducah, KY 42003 – Contact: Pastor Hank Garner 704-699-3473
Healthcare Resources
The American Psychological Association has resources available for everyone regarding how to process anxieties and fears following a tornado. Those resources can be found here:
Additional mental health, behavioral health, and crisis assistance can be accessed through the Substance Abuse Bureau of Drug & Alcohol Programs at 1-888-604-6106.
For physical healthcare needs, please contact the Aetna Nurse Hotline at 1-855-620-3924.
Utility Resources
The contact for the Western Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative is 1-877-495-7322. The Western Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative operates Monday- Friday 7:30 AM- 5:00 PM.
Additionally, LG and E/ Kentucky Utilities can be contacted at 1-800-981-0600.
Monetary donations are being accepted at the organizations/ entities below:
Suggested donations of gas, generators, storage bins/totes, flash lights, head lamps, batteries, utility gloves, phone chargers, gas cans, socks, undergarments, blankets, coats, warm clothes, shoes, toiletries, paper towels, plastic utensils, paper plates, feminine hygiene products, baby formula, diapers, wipes, water, non-perishable foods are being accepted at the locations listed below:
The Salvation Army Kentucky/Tennessee Division Roebling Point Books, 601 Overton Street, Newport, KY 41071Newport Fire Department, 998 Monmouth St, Newport, KY 41071 Walnut Grove Baptist Church, 2941 Highland Lick Rd, Russellville, KY Stepstone Family and Youth Services, 78 Caky Dr, Benton, KY, 270-527-8388First Baptist Church, 2890 Broadway St, Paducah, KY, 270-442-2728 Marshall County Exceptional Center, 198 Old Symsonia Rd, Benton, KY, 270-252-6530 (8 a.m. to 2 p.m. from Sunday, Dec. 12 – Friday, Dec. 17)Akridge Farm Supply, 724 Fairview Ave, Eddyville, KY 42038, 270-388-2910 – Looking specifically for tarps and gas cansCave City Community Center (Senior Center), 105 Duke St, Cave City, KY 42127 Northside Baptist Church, 611 W Lockridge St, Mayfield, KY Dry Ground Brewing Company, 3121 Broadway St, Paducah, KY 42001 Paducah Beer Werks, 301 N 4th St, Paducah, KY 42001 Four Pegs Smokehouse and Bar, 1053 Goss Ave, Louisville, KY 40217Jamestown City Park Batting Cages, 123 Park Ave, Jamestown, KY 42629 (drop off from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday through Thursday)Russell Springs City Hall, 487 Main Street, Russell Springs, KY 42642 (drop off from 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday) Lone Oak Baptist Church, 3601 Lone Oak Rd, Paducah, KY 42003St. Jerome’s Catholic Church, 20 KY-339, Fancy Farm, KY 42039Water drive at Pritchard Community Center, 404 S Mulberry St, Elizabethtown, KY 42701 (need cases of bottled water)Felix Martin Hall, 501 W. Everly Brothers Blvd., Greenville, KY. 42345Kentucky Education Development Corporation, Ashland office (904 Rose Road) and Lexington Office (118 James Court Ste 60 )Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, 208 South Main Street, Lawrenceburg, KY 40342 Winchester Police Department, 16 S. Maple Street, Winchester, KY (accepting donations until Monday evening )Georgetown Fire Department, 101 Jacobs Drive, Georgetown, KY (accepting donations all week) Clarksville Town Hall, 2000 Broadway Street, Clarksville, IN, (accepting donation Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) Dare to Care Food BankHope 2 All Food Pantry, 307 W. Mose Rager Blvd. Drakesboro, KY 42337 Community Kitchen, 1237 Martin Luther King Jr Drive, Paducah, KY Veteran’s Club Inc., 9419 Seatonville rd. at Fern Creek Christian Church, Louisville, KY 40291Henderson County Schools/Henderson Police Department, 735 N. Elm St., Henderson, KY (will fill a bus to deliver to Dawson Springs, can drop off 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.) Redemption City Church, 104 Railroad Ave., Dawson Springs KY, 270-425-4310 Mount Zion Baptist Church, 175 Graham Dr., Bowling Green, KY Eleventh St Baptist Church, 1035 Kenton ST. Bowling Green, KY (collecting from Sunday, Dec. 12 through Wednesday, Dec. 15) State Street Baptist Church, 340 State St. Bowling Green, KY (collecting from Sunday, Dec. 12 through Friday, Dec. 17) Hancock’s of Paducah, 3841 Hinkleville Road, Paducah, KY (accepting donations of clean quilts and blankets, Tuesday, Dec. 14 through Friday, Dec. 17, 9 a.m. to 5pm, and Saturday, Dec. 18, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.)Fairview Baptist Church, 701 West Water Street, Mayfield, KY
Starting today, residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance by registering online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 (for deaf or hard-of-hearing Kentuckians); The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.
Kentucky State Parks in the area are now open to host families who need housing for at least two weeks. Volunteers who are willing to assist state parks staff housing distressed guests should contact Kentucky State Parks Division Director Andy Kasitz at andy.kasitz@ky.gov.
Until mobile units for the Department for Community-Based Services locations in Mayfield/Graves County those who need help may call 855-306-8959, or they may apply for help online at kynect.ky.gov. Starting today, a special queue is in place for people needing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, or SNAP.
Below, please find links for Go Fund Me accounts for the tornado devastation that hit Community Action Agencies in Kentucky. This money will go to support and resources for each agency.
Children and youth need an understanding of healthy and respectful relationships, boundaries and body safety. They need role models to look to who portray and promote these values and support healthy childhoods. The physical and mental health of Kentucky’s children, youth and parents is at the forefront of the work we do at Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky. While the recent spirit week activities of a Kentucky High School may seem innocent on the surface, the harmful and long-term effects that such conduct may have on the still-forming brains of children and youth must be considered. When something like this takes place, we are teaching youth these behaviors are acceptable. Out of roughly 300 students enrolled in the school, 84 of them (28%) will be sexually victimized prior to their 18th birthday. Our educational institutions are trusted areas where ALL students should be encouraged to reach their full potential, feel comfortable in their surroundings, and most importantly, feel safe with the adults in their lives.
Lexington, KY – Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky (PCAK) is announcing Kentucky Power recently awarded a $20,000 gift to propel its statewide fatherhood efforts. The grant from the American Electric Power (AEP) Foundation and Kentucky Power is the largest gift received by the statewide child abuse prevention organization for its efforts in the area of positive fatherhood engagement.
The National Survey of Children’s Health shows Kentucky ranks 3rd highest in the nation (at 12%) of children experiencing parental incarceration, and according to fatherhood.gov, among the more than 800,000 parents in federal and state prisons, 92 percent are fathers.
The grant will allow Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky to expand its fatherhood efforts into eastern Kentucky by providing mini grants to eight organizations, offering trainings to existing service providers, and developing materials that will be distributed within the eastern Kentucky area served by AEP. “We are thrilled to be able to expand our fatherhood programming into Eastern Kentucky with this grant from AEP” said Jill Seyfred, Executive Director of Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky
“Investing in the work being done by Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky is an investment in our workforce now and for decades to come,” said. Brett Mattison, KY Power President and Chief Operating Officer. “We know how important moms are, and now research is showing us dads are critical to the overall health and well-being of children. We’re proud to support the efforts of Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky.”’
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Founded in 1987, Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky is the leading statewide child abuse prevention organization. They are the Kentucky chapter of Prevent Child Abuse America and offer statewide programs and services. Learn more by visiting www.pcaky.org.
Kentucky Power, with headquarters in Ashland, provides electric service to approximately 165,000 customers in 20 eastern Kentucky counties. Kentucky Power is an operating company in the AEP system, one of the largest electric utilities in the United States
