hey everyone, so i was writing this update and brickfish decided to sign me out
i will do the best that i can to rewrite everything as well as it was written last time >:(
anyways, so the last couple of months have been pretty hectic for hannah and i. we have given out COUNTLESS of brochures that advocated our cause, advertised our direct service project, and focused on the education of society on child neglect throughout the nation. through these brochures, we have had several individuals view our blog, and one group of people posted us on their own website! some of the members of the Edwardsville United Methodist Church in our area are also associated with the Hopeful Hearts foundation, and their support of our project is greatly appreciated (we were posted on their website).
http://www.edwardsvilleumc.org/Something_to_think_about...html
Some of the people that were responsible for posting this excerpt on their site were also contributors to our OVER 350 pairs of shoes that we sent to impoverished children in Ukraine. At the end of the Novmeber we partnered with Hopeful Hearts and the Lifebridge packing company again in order to pack up and and ship off the shoes. Our contribution was EXTREMELY helpful, especially because we were able to contribute shoes that are popular in Ukrainian society. It was a very satisfying experience for the two of us (and my mom lol) and we are so grateful to all who helped us out and contributed. :)
However, we want to emphasize the fact that the children in Ukraine are not the only people that need our help! Child neglect is everywhere, and the best place to start reforming is in your own city. Here in Louisville there is a great deal of neglect that most people overlook. Hannah and i both have stable lives, and through this project we have become truly aware of what's been going on in our society.
Today i was working on our advocacy piece a little more. this has been the most challenging aspect to our project in that we hadn't really known how to address it. we were originally going to get a large amount of signatures for a petition that supports better healthcare for neglected and abused children. but instead we are both going to sign the petition and we encourage all readers to do so as well, and are focus is now on kentucky legislation towards child neglect. after doing some research today i really became aware of the loopholes in our government. every state had their own loopholes on child neglect, but these different loopholes contribute to the different kinds of neglect that are still present in cities all around the nation. we are currently composing a letter to the kentucky state congress in order to voice the fact that child neglect is still here and anything or any appropriate law they can pass in order to fill the loopholes would be successful in preventing more abuse in the future.
BUT, the main reason why child neglect is still present is our fault!!! all types of child neglect and abuse should be reported. here in louisville, chidlren are physically neglected, left to fend for themselves when it comes to healthcare, given the responbility for their family (something they are unfit to handle), emotionally unsupported, unloved, and sometimes eventually abandoned. Some children arent given the opportunity of education by their parents, and do not even realize the hell that they often go through. it is our job to stand up for these kids. we have to take a look at the society around us, the children around us, and the people around us. although not all cases of child neglect can be reported, they can be revised. if anything, you should revise your own parenting style or advise others to do so. stable children create a stable future, and that means less child neglect.
one website that we found that was extremely helpful in creating options for child neglect reports was that of the archdiocese of louisville. they stressed the need for individuals to report cases and become aware of what child neglect entailed. hannah and i found this website to be extremely supportive of our cause:
http://www.archlou.org/article23323.htm
they graciously list numbers to call for reporting a case of abuse for several counties in the state of kentucky. child protective agencies are available at any time and can assist anyone that reports a case. the number for Jefferson county is:
| Jefferson |
(502) 595-4550 OR
(502) 574-2465 |
Child Protective Services
Crimes Against Children |
a child protection hotline was also available: 1-800-752-6200
overall, PLEASE please please learn something from this like we did. hannah and i have truly been enlightened by this whole experience, and as it comes to an end, we know that the lessons we have taken from this we will never forget. reevaluate how you look at society. your own local community has more skeletons in the closet than you might ever know. at least make yourself aware so that when the time comes, you can do something about it.
thanks for reading!!!
monica