Will MacGuire of Live Event, NY, Chenango Child Advocacy Center Program Coordinator Joanne Smith, and City of Norwich Mayor Brian Doliver at Wednesday's common council meeting, where April was proclaimed as Child Abuse Prevention Month in the City of Norwich. (Photo by Sarah Genter)

NORWICH — During the common council meeting on Wednesday, April 26, City of Norwich Mayor Brian Doliver proclaimed the month of April 2023 to be Child Abuse Prevention Month in the City of Norwich.

"Whereas April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and has been the time for national remembrances since 198l. It's an opportunity for communities, victims, and their loved ones to join together and reflect on the progress achieved in the prevention of child abuse within their communities," he read.

It is estimated that approximately 656,505 children nationwide are victims of neglect and abuse each year, and Child Abuse Prevention Month aims to raise awareness and inspire communities to help.

"Child abuse prevention is a community responsibility, and finding solutions depends on involvement among all people, and communities must make every effort to promote programming to benefit children in their communities," said Doliver. "Everyone in the community should become more aware of child abuse prevention and begin having conversations and take appropriate action to support one another to create a safer environment for all."

Each April, the Chenango Child Advocacy Center (CCAC) holds awareness campaigns to shine a light on the nationwide issue of child abuse and neglect.

This year, in a partnership with Will MacGuire of Live Event NY, a Norwich-based entertainment company, the CCAC held their Pinwheels for Prevention and Shine Blue for Hope Campaigns. Blue pinwheels have been placed at various Norwich locations, and some businesses and organizations have blue lights shining on their buildings as part of the campaigns.

These initiatives help to raise money for CCAC programs while also informing the community on child abuse and available services and resources in the Chenango County area.

In 2023, the Chenango Child Advocacy Center served 175 children, supported 141 caregivers impacted by a crime, helped 57 youth who were at risk of being trafficked, and provided primary prevention programming to 847 middle and high school students in Chenango County.

"I, Brian Doliver, do hereby proclaim the month of April 2023 to be Child Abuse Prevention Month, and encourage all citizens to work together to help reduce child abuse and neglect significantly in the years to come, and reaffirm our commitment to respect and honor children victims through the year to build a more just community," said Doliver.