Fall Schedule

We have a lot scheduled for the next few months. Check out this list, and see if there is anything in your area. If not, let us know if you'd like us to schedule something. We'll do our best.

• 9/18 - Safe Child Town Hall, Highland Middle School, Bellevue, 7-830 pm. Children Welcome
• 9/20 - Together, Reunion 2008, the Foster Care Alumni of America's first Reunion - if you are part of the foster care community, check out http://www.fostercarealumni.org/ website for more information.
• 9/25 - Safe Child Town Hall, WF West High, Chehalis, 7-830 pm. Children Welcome.
• 10/2 - Safe Child Town Hall, Bothell
• 10/3-4 - Washington State PTA Legislative Assembly
• 10/7 - Safe Child Town Hall, Richland
• 10/23 - Safe Child Town Hall, Sedro Woolley
• 11/6 - Safe Child Town Hall, Spokane

Somewhere in there we're going to try and fit a Safe Child town hall for the White Center area. We hope to see you over the next few months of Town Halls. Come and say 'Hi' if you're able to attend! They're all child-friendly, and we need volunteers to help coordinate!

Washington update for July

Hello All!

• Are you a PTA member? Can you help us between 10-3pm on Saturday, July 12? Please? We have submitted a legislative proposal to the Washington State PTA, and are due to testify on its behalf tomorrow, 7/12. We realized Wednesday that Bethan hadn't paid her PTA dues for the 2007/2008 school year, and now we need someone to present the proposal for her! This proposal would increase the penalties for predatory crimes committed against kids within a school zone, defined as 1000 feet around schools, and 100 feet around bus stops.



• Huzzah to Wash-CAP - we made 'partner' with the Take 25 program from NCMEC, reaching more than 30,000 people with the prevention education message during late May and early June. We're still at it, too. If you live in White Center, you'll find Take 25 materials presented by the Kiwanis at the Jubilee, and various farmers markets around the Puget Sound area will have Take 25 materials, as available, during the Summer and Fall.



• Our Education work now dwarfs our legislative work, so we're filing for (c)(3) status. Soon, your donations will be tax deductible. In the meantime, we still need donations! Right now we're raising money to buy ID kits for the kids at Stanley Elementary in Tacoma. Representatives from state and federal agencies will fingerprint and photograph, and each kid leaves with a very functional ID kit in case the worst happens and a child goes missing.
  
  Very few children are kidnapped and 'disappear' each year, but the consequences are tremendous, and these ID kits have assisted in the return of many children. During ID events, preventative education is also provided to the community, families, and children. Please send in a donation to help this happen. There are approximately 325 kids, and each ID kit costs a dollar. We accept donations via checks, cash, and paypal.



• We need your skills! Grant writers, executive level project managers, fundraisers - if you'd like to do some resume-worthy non-profit work, contact us. We're working on some truly fantastic projects this year, and are only limited by dollars in the bank and hours in the day.



• What do you think?
  
  -Should there be a statute of limitations on child sexual assault cases?
  -Do you agree with the Supreme Court Ruling that the death penalty may not be applied even in the most severe cases of child sexual assault?
  
  Send us back your answers and will post them on our site.

Washington update for June

Member Update for June, 2008
Hello Everyone!
We've had a lot happen in the last 4-6 weeks.

• Welcome to Colorado, our newest chapter. Jane from California forwarded us a news story about a man in Western Colorado who needed some help, and a few days later Jason started the process to create a chapter. Really nice people, and already getting a lot done. If you have relatives for friends in Colorado, let them know they have a resource for safety education and advocacy.


• Safe Child Week was a great success. Regional Library systems, the Attorney General's Office, the Governor, the Legislature, the PTA, several pediatric clinics, Moms' clubs, PEACE of Mind... all told, we reached approximately 30,000 people with the message of preventative safety education, using the Take 25 program from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. And that's not counting the people reached with media coverage! Tremendous thanks to everyone who participated, and -if you missed the chance- there is more coming up with the Safe Child Effort:


• Town Hall meetings are scheduled in 7 Legislative Districts so far, starting in September. These Town Halls are in further observance of Missing Children's Day, and will cover children's safety issues and crime prevention. Local legislators and elected officials, local law enforcement, and experts in crime prevention will be attending as speakers and for Q&A. If you would like to participate in this effort, or would like more information, please contact us.


• Our agenda for 2008-09 is on the website. Our focus this year is on the Safe Child project, Increased Penalties in School Zone legislation, Statute of Limitations on Felony crimes committed against kids, and Predatory Exposure.


• Paula is going on hiatus for the rest of the year. We wouldn't be here without her dedication and hard work: she spent hundreds of hours getting this non-profit up off the ground, offering support, driving to Olympia to testify, etc., and all the while being a great parent and finding success in her demanding career.
  
  This leaves an opening in our organization for a Director. It's an unpaid position, and time commitments range from 10-30 hours per week. Higher-level project management skills are necessary, along with some experience in, or knowledge of, law enforcement, social work, legislation, or fund raising. If you're interested, send in your resume and cover letter.

Enjoy your summer, and keep safe! Here are Summer Safety Rules from NCMEC - a very good read. Print the .pdf and talk to your kids about it.

Washington update for April

April 21, 2008
Hello Everyone!
Today is April 21, and we are busy. Very very busy.

• Safe Child Week - Organizations and businesses across Washington State are signing up to participate in this week-long effort toward preventative safety education. Town Hall meetings, ID Kit events, community seminars, library story-times, PTA programs, public service announcements... in a week or so, you'll be able to enter your location into [this] event form, and find a participant near you.


• Legislation - Not a single bill that we proposed got through. Thankfully, others have recognized the importance of that legislation, so there are more people working on it and helping it along. Some other legislation that we're working on is the Statute of Limitations on CSA crimes, and researching issues that members have had over the last 18 months, to see if there are systems that need work. Head over to our blog and talk about it!


• PlayGround Watch - is in the works. Have a community area that your family enjoys, like the park, playground at school, or a public pool? You'll be able to talk to others that use that same space, and trade community information and safety issues.


• Introducing Heather, who is our rotating Director of Special Projects. Right now, most of this is a special project! Heather will be working on establishing a seminar program for the state, and on formalizing Safe Child Week. She comes to us with a strong background in management and training, and we really appreciate her help.


• Town Hall meetings - In response to the large number of emails we received expressing disappointment with this session's results, we've talked to our State's Senators and Representatives about scheduling Town Hall meetings in their districts. Some of these may be hosted by community members, some by cities and towns, but all of them will provide a forum for YOU to tell your local government what you think about community and child safety, and also will provide some common-sense safety education. Contact your district office to find out if one is scheduled in your area.

And, please - we need feedback and volunteers.
Want to handout tip sheets at a farmers market in your community? Organize and moderate a safety seminar? Could be fun :-)

Talk to Us - Volunteer - Donate
Thank you!