Protecting Our Children

I live across the street from a church that has a weekday preschool, and most days as I am leaving for work, I see precious children being dropped off by moms, dads, and babysitters. Just this morning I stopped to let a nanny with a little girl wearing a bow bigger than her head safely walk into the school. It took me back to the days when I took my own children to First Baptist preschool on Monument Avenue.

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness about child abuse and neglect and to educate the public about ways they can support families and communities in creating nurturing and safe environments for children.

The Office of Safe Environment organizes events and activities to mark this month. Next week, on Tuesday, Bishop Knestout will lead the staff in praying the rosary for children and families, and the following day, we will have a lunch and learn with the state CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Coordinator to hear about this important program. CASAs serve as the eyes and ears of the court, working directly with children who are in the court system because they have experienced abuse or neglect. Locally in the City of Richmond, CASA is a program of Greater Richmond SCAN, and you can read more about what these volunteer heroes do to protect children: https://grscan.com/programs/casa.

As a SCAN board member, I know that there is a desperate need for CASA volunteers. There are currently about 100 children on the waiting list for CASAs in the City of Richmond alone. There are many other CASA programs across the state, all performing the same functions in their respective jurisdictions, so if you are interested in learning more about your local CASA, you can learn more at https://virginiacasa.org/volunteer/.

Someday, when I retire, I will be a CASA. In the meantime, I like to spread the word, because it is everyone’s responsibility to protect children.

God Bless,

Margaret

Margaret Keightley
Executive Director
Catholic Community Foundation of the Diocese of Richmond