Good day and Blessings to you. Safe Shores is an child advocacy program is Washington, D.C. I was introduced to Safe Shores by Sunni from 95.5 WPGC. She invited me to a Coffee for Kids tour in 2013. I learned so much about the services they provide from treatments and counseling to their clothing clothing filled with fresh clothes for families in need. The staff of Safe Shores is so amazing for their dedication to healing OUR children who have been mistreated, abused, and neglected.
According to The Administration of Children and Families, 3.5 million children who were the subject of an investigation or alternative response in fiscal year 2017, an estimated 674,000 children were determined to be victims of mistreatment. In total, 74.9 percent of victims were neglected, 18.3 percent were physically abused and 8.6 percent were sexually abused. The number of child fatalities due to child abuse and neglect decreased in fiscal year 2017, after increasing steadily for several years. Estimated referrals to CPS for investigation response or alternative response increased by 15 percent from fiscal year 2013 (3,598,000) to (4,136,000) in fiscal year 2017. These numbers are just a glimpse of the trauma our children are facing daily.
My childhood was what some would say"traumatic". My grandmother was extremely Loving and nourishing to me. She raised me well, extremely well. I am proud of the Man she has raised me to be. It was my environment and situation that were damaging. My Father was killed when I was 3, my grandmother's husband was abusive, I didn't have any positive male influences, and I was mistreated by a close relative without a soul to tell. This is something I held within for years. I was confused about everything, I had no idea what Love was, who family was, and I never believed in friends. I lived a Life distrust towards everyone because it was the closest people who let me down or hurt me. It was my adult years that I the healing process began. We did not have an advocacy or community that raised awareness like the #SantaCause campaign.
It would have been amazing to have that treatment, awareness, and support during this time of my Life. However, it is the Blessing for Me to overcome it and be an advocate, support channel, Vessel, and ambassador for our children in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. I go hard campaigning and fundraising for #santacause every since my introduction to Safe Shores. My mentor Maurice McClanahan has Blessed us all by creating the #SantaCause campaign. He starts the campaign in the Fall and ends Dec. 31st.
We congregate as a community to fundraise and encourage others to join us with service focused events. Maurice organizes fundraising events such as memorable photoshoots while we feed the homeless, serve in our communities, social media donating challenges, and family fun events. I have met so many Blessful community leaders that Live a Life of service. We all join Souls to help Safe Shores Heal Our children who have been mistreated, abused, and neglected. Our children are The future. Without them, we have no future.
We need more organizations like Safe Shores to keep sprouting nationwide and even Worldwide in the future. A Worldwide safehaven of services, resources, and community to Truly Heal the World.
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