Celebrate National CPR Awareness Week!

Today we're kicking off National CPR Awareness week (June 1-7), a week dedicated to raising awareness of the need for all people to learn CPR and feel empowered to save a life.

Are you prepared to save a life?

Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in the United States. It can happen to anyone at any time. Many victims appear healthy and are unaware that they are event at risk.

Surviving sudden cardiac arrest depends on a public trained in CPR. The SADS Foundation supports policies that would train every high school student in our country in CPR.

Less than one-third of sudden cardiac arrest victims receive bystander CPR. CPR can double, or even triple, a victim's chance of survival.

Hands-on CPR training would prepare high school students to act in a medical emergency -- at school, at home, or in the community. CPR can be taught in less than 30 minutes at little to no cost to school districts.

Please support hands-on CPR training as a high school graduation requirement.

A community that is trained in CPR and empowered to save lives will do just that-SAVE LIVES!


Here are some ways you can get involved:

• Click here to send a letter (above) to your local policy makers via The American Heart Association.
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• Emergency Dispatchers Play Key Role in Assisting Bystander CPR via Telephone-- Read the story here!
•  
• Flat Bob and National CPR/AED Week--submit your photos of Flat Bob with an AED or a CPR class!  
•    
• Learn CPR and share this life-saving knowledge with your community, family and friends!
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• Be sure to check out the videos and resources, including CPR for cats & dogs, on the SADS website and share on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc! 

From one advocate to another, we thank you for your dedication and passion for creating a safe community for all citizens!   

Thanks again,

Alice, Laura, Sarah, Christine, Anne, Adrienne, Amy, Monica, Carol & Brandon

The SADS Foundation

Prevent Child Abuse

‘Domestic Terrorists’ Prey on Kids
in Summertime
 
Advocate Offers Tips to Prevent, Spot, Child Sexual Abuse
 
Instances of child abuse increase during the summer, with some shelters and child advocacy centers actually doubling their caseloads, according to anecdotal reports.
While these tragedies include everything from neglect to beatings, child advocate  Michelle Bellon, author of The Complexity of a Soldier (www.MichelleBellon.com), says parents and caregivers should be especially alert to one of the most easily hidden and underreported crimes: child sexual abuse. Her novel centers on this epidemic, and aims to raise awareness about it.

“Children may be less supervised during the summer, or they may be in the care of extended family members so their parents can save money on child care,” she says. “Both situations put children at risk; the former for obvious reasons and the latter because 90 percent of child sexual abuse victims know the offender.” 

Child predators are terrorists, Bellon says. Like the terrorists we deploy armies to battle overseas, they prey on innocents and subject them to physical and emotional torture. The consequences can be devastating and lifelong, including post-traumatic stress disorder and separation anxiety, according to the American Psychological Association reports.
“Does this sound like anything else we have heard about since 9/11? To me, it is very similar to what victims of terrorism face, and what soldiers face after fighting wars,” Bellon says. “I think child predators should be called what they are – domestic terrorists.”
Bellon shares these guidelines from a number of sources, including the Centers for Disease Control, to keep children safe this summer.

• When choosing a summer program, ask about employee (and volunteer) screening and how interactions are monitored. A criminal background check is not sufficient to ferret out sexual abusers, since many have never been charged or convicted. Instead the program should look for warning signs in written applications and interviews. For instance, some predator adults spend all of their time with children and have no significant adult relationships. Policies on interactions between adults and children should include examples of appropriate and inappropriate conduct, and definitive steps for both monitoring and addressing concerns and complaints.
• Ask about the training. Staff and even temporary volunteers should undergo training to recognize signs of sexual abuse and to learn when it’s appropriate to report concerns. There should be a designated person to handle reports. Training should be required for staff and volunteers who come on board midway through the summer. Policies should include procedures for handling not just potential abuse, but also violations of the code of conduct for interactions.
• Ask about interactions between older and younger children. Some programs allow older children to serve as “junior counselors” or activity assistants. Ask about the guidelines for these situations, including whether and how long children may be unsupervised by an adult. 
• Make sure children understand “personal boundaries.” Teach children the importance of recognizing and respecting the invisible barriers that separate them from other people. They should be able to recognize their comfort zone – and that of others! – and know that they can and should speak up about setting limits. Start at home by respecting a child’s right to say “no” to physical contact, such as tickling and hugs. Never force a child to kiss a relative.
• Recognize signs of a problem. Children often won’t or can’t tell you what’s happening, but there are signs to watch for, including changes in behavior such as withdrawal or unprovoked crying, night terrors, bedwetting, eating problems, unexplained injuries, suddenly avoiding a particular person, and unusual interest in or knowledge of sexual matters.

About Michelle Bellon

Michelle Bellon earned her associate degree in nursing, and lives with her husband and four children in Olympia, Wash. She is the author of four novels, including “The Complexity of a Soldier,” which deals with the issue of child sexual abuse.

Don't let hunger ruin summer

Swimming, eating popsicles and roasting s’mores over a campfire.

Those are just a few things I think of when I imagine what summer is like for a kid. It’s an exciting time of the year when kids can run free and play. But for millions of kids, summer doesn’t mean fun and games. For these kids, summer means going hungry.

It doesn’t have to be that way — and we need your support to change it.

When schools close their doors for the summer, many children who rely on free or reduced price meal programs are facing a long summer of missed meals. When they don’t have enough food to eat or the right kind of food, they return to school in the fall worse off than when they left.

The good news is that the No Kid Hungry Summer Meals campaign is working to connect these kids to the nutritious meals they need to lead healthy and active lives this summer and beyond. But the need is great — right now we’re supporting summer meals programs all across the country. I know we can do better and we have to — for the sake of those kids counting on you and me.

Every dollar you donate today will be matched by the Arby’s Foundation, up to $100,000. Your donation of $50 becomes $100, $100 becomes $200, and $250 becomes $500. This means, with the Arby’s Foundation’s support, we can connect kids in need with up to 2 million meals!

With you by our side, I know we can beat childhood hunger once and for all. Thanks so much for your support.

Sincerely,

Jeff Bridges National Spokesperson for No Kid Hungry

P.S. This summer, Share Our Strength staffers will be visiting more than a dozen sites across as many states to raise awareness about childhood hunger and local resources, working side-by-side with partners in the community to connect hungry children with summer meals programs in their towns. They promise to keep us posted — please donate today to support their work and stay tuned for updates on their progress.

Success 101 for Teens

Helping Teens Financially Means More
Than Handing Them Money
 
5 Tips for Turning Adolescents into Fiscally Smart Adults

As children blossom into young men and women, most insist on planning and running their own lives. Parents worry about all the basic essentials for their kids’ independent living, like housing, eating properly, staying warm, being careful at night and more. But most parents forget to teach their youngsters one of the most important lessons of all – financial responsibility. The resulting turmoil can spell disaster for a child’s future.

Consider this: The average young adult amasses $45,000 in debt by the time they turn 29, according to a recent PNC Bank report.

“This generation of 20-somethings was raised during an economically-thriving period,” says financial expert Mark Hansen, author of Success 101 for Teens (www.success101forteens.com). “Undisciplined spending habits, student and car loans, and a tough job market have stymied their financial growth. Perhaps the worst culprit is financial ignorance, but we can count this as a lesson for future 20-somethings.”

For young people, organizing finances can be intimidating to the point of prohibitive, he says. 

“We need to have a curriculum in schools, from kindergarten through 12th grade, that ensures our kids graduate with financially literacy,” he says. “From balancing a checkbook to understanding what it means to pay – and earn – interest, kids need basic money management skills to survive in the world, and most aren’t getting them.”
Hansen says all teens should know and practice so they can control their financial destinies:

• Saving for dreams – the three-envelope method: Use the first envelope for your day-to-day expenses: gas or lunch money. Pause before blowing this money at the movie theater or a fast-food restaurant! Envelope No. 2 is for short-term goals, which might be clothing or a new laptop. The third envelope is for long-term goals such as a car, college or a “future millionaire club” fund.
• How to create a budget: A budget lets us know what’s possible, and not possible, with money. There are six steps to creating a budget. 1. List all of your expenses. 2. List all income. 3. List monthly expenses. 4. Add up these lists separately. 5. Tweak your budget so you can meet your expenses with money left over for savings. 6. Review your budget every week.
• How to set and follow through on goals: First, figure out what your current finances are, then determine what they will be in the future -- one year out, then two years out, then four years later, etc. How will you get to your one- or two-year goal? You need a plan, and most of the time that means either earning more money, spending less, or a combination of the two. Finally, you have to stick to your plan in order for it to work.
• Understanding interest rates, such as credit cards: Interest is a fee paid for using someone else’s money. Simple interest is straightforward: 5 percent accrued in your bank account with $100 yields $5 in interest at the end of the year. Compound interest, however, means ever-increasing amounts. This is crucial to understanding debt you may take on from lenders. Know what you are borrowing, and the terms thereof. Just as your money can work for you in a bank account, money borrowed can work against you if it is not paid back in a timely manner.
• How to write checks and balance a checkbook: These days, it’s easier than ever to review accounts online, which automatically tracks exchanges. HOWEVER, banks do make mistakes, which is why it’s wise to track your accounts independently. Ask. Don’t be embarrassed. Banks are putting a premium on service and want to establish a positive relationship with young customers.  If you have a question, speak to someone at the bank. As you take control of your money, you’ll also take control of your life.

About Mark Hansen

A successful businessman, a former Palm Beach County, Fla., elected school board member and motivational speaker, Mark has dedicated his life to helping young people overcome obstacles and deal with the challenges of daily living. Struck by a car and nearly killed as a child, Mark fought back through positive actions and reactions to all that he had to overcome. As a result, he relates to teens in a very special way.  Through books such as, “Success 101 for Teens: Dollars and Sense for a Winning Financial Life,” and seminars, Mark Hansen is driven to make an impact on teens and young adults and to empower them to rise above and triumph over life’s obstacles.

Dedicated to All Missing Children

Today we are honoring all missing children and their families.

We invite you, our vital online community members, to join PKF and many of our non-profit and law enforcement partners across the country and around the world.

We are joining the Make Noise campaign, which is sponsored by the Association for Missing and Exploited Children’s Organizations (AMECO).

We are raising our voices to bring home missing children,
and prevent other children from harm.

Here are ways you can Make Noise:
1. TALK to your kids about safety.
2. TELL someone you trust if you have been abused, exploited, or hurt in some way.
3. And SHARE messages about missing kids to get everyone in your network involved in the issue.

Please visit the AMECO website to see
the wonderful resources you have for Making Noise
in your home and community today, National Missing Children’s Day. Click here.

We want to remind you to choose a missing child's webpage to share on your Facebook or Twitter page.


Here’s what we’re asking you to do to honor missing children:

1. Visit the PKF Master List of Missing Children http://www.pollyklaas.org/missing/ and choose a child's webpage to share on your Facebook or Twitter page.

About our Master List of Missing Children:
Children are listed by missing date, with the most recent first. There are hundreds of kids in our List. Please feel free to find a long term missing child for your personal campaign.

2. Urge your Facebook friends and Twitter followers to share this missing child’s webpage on their page.

Our goal will be 25 shares for each missing child. Imagine the number of people who will be seeing each child’s picture. 

3. Follow up with your friends and ask them to share your chosen child with their friends.

You can make a difference in bringing a child home.

We thank you for all your support. You make a real difference. To us, to the families, and to the kids.

And by talking to the children in your lives about safety, you are making a very meaningful difference in their lives.