This month has been full of energy and generosity! A busy period of outreach, learning opportunities, and new volunteers. We spent time at the Bayview Community Center, connecting with residents; with our Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) family at the Wisconsin CASA State Conference; and at Ho-Chunk Gaming Madison for a fun tour and check presentation! Thank you, Ho-Chunk patrons for donating over $10,000 to Canopy Center! Be sure to follow us on social media, to meet all of the new faces volunteering their time with us. 

We’ve also received an influx of boxes from our wish list! Many have arrived without identification. If you’ve shopped from our Amazon wish list, please let us know – we’d love the chance to thank you personally!

Keep scrolling for more: 

🧷Safety After Violence | Every child deserves safety – learn how Canopy Center supports families impacted by domestic violence.
📖New Social Story Helps Children Prepare for Supervised Visitation 
🛟Not a Number Caregiver Workshop | For all parents and caregivers! Does your child have a smartphone? Have you talked to your teen about healthy relationships? Learn practical tools to keep your child safe.
🧑🏾‍⚖️Act 78 Advocacy Update | How we’re building momentum for change that will strengthen child safety, improve coordination, and better support families across Wisconsin.
💻Fill Out Our Survey (Please!) | Help us plan for the future.
📲This Month’s Best Social Posts 

Safety After Violence: How Canopy Center Supports Children Affected by Domestic Violence

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. At Canopy Center, many of the families we work with have experienced some form of domestic violence. When children are exposed to violence in the home — whether they witness it directly or feel its effects — it can shape how they see the world and their place in it.

Children who live with domestic violence may experience fear, anxiety, or confusion. They might struggle with trust, behavior, or concentration. Some withdraw, while others act out. Over time, these experiences can impact emotional health, learning, and relationships. Understanding these effects allows us to respond with compassion and trauma-informed support, helping children and caregivers rebuild a sense of safety and connection.

Earlier this year, we shared a story about how our Parent to Child program provided a safe and healing space for a family affected by domestic violence. You can read it here: “How Parent to Child Provides Safety for Families.” The story highlights how supervised visitation was a bridge from fear and abuse to safety and connection — giving children a space where they can simply be kids. 

The Power and Control Wheel, developed by the Domestic Abuse Intervention Project, shows that abuse is not just physical — it often includes patterns of emotional, financial, and psychological control. Something the mother we wrote about shared, as well. Recognizing these dynamics helps us better support survivors and their children.

Copyright by the Domestic Abuse Intervention Project

During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we honor the courage of survivors and recommit to helping families heal. Every child deserves safety, stability, and the opportunity to grow up in a home free from violence.

If you or someone you know needs support, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at  (800) 799-SAFE (7233) or visit their website. If you are in the Madison area, Domestic Abuse Intervention Services (DAIS) is a local resource. Check out their website, call: (608) 251-4445 or text: (608) 420-4638.

New Social Story Helps Children

Prepare for Supervised Visitation

Former supervised visitation intern and current sexual abuse treatment program clinical intern, Sarah, created a social story to help young children prepare for supervised visitation at Canopy Center – and we’re excited to share it with you! 

Social stories use simple language and pictures to help children understand what to expect in new or sometimes stressful situations, helping to reduce anxiety and build a sense of comfort before they arrive. For families coming to Canopy Center, this story shows young children who they will meet and what will happen during their visit – supporting a more positive visitation experience for everyone!

This is just one of the many ways we support children and families. Thank you, Sara!

Not a Number

Join us for Not a Number – a free, hands-on workshop that gives parents and caregivers tools to spot warning signs and start important conversations about safety and exploitation. 

📅 Monday, December 8
📍 Canopy Center | 2445 Darwin Rd., Suite 15 Madison, WI 53704 

Not sure if this is for you? Reports of sextortion and other forms of sexual exploitation of minors have risen sharply in Wisconsin. In 2024, the Wisconsin Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received nearly 11,000 tips – many tied to sextortion, a dramatic increase from just a few years ago.

Come learn, connect, and leave feeling more confident to protect the kids in your life. 👇

Act 78 Advocacy Update

As we continue advocating for updates to Act 78, we have focused our efforts on education and engagement. Act 78 is the state law that guides how the Department of Children and Families reports and shares information about child abuse and neglect. It was written to promote coordinated prevention efforts. However, it has not kept pace with how child maltreatment has changed, and doesn’t fully recognize the serious harm that can happen when there isn’t physical injury. This includes serious forms of abuse such as sexual abuse and exploitation, where the impact may be deep and long-lasting but not always visible. 

With no timeline for updates to be made, we have set meetings with legislators (particularly those on the committees responsible for reviewing these reports) to help them see the urgency and value of updating Act 78 to better protect children, improve coordination and support families across Wisconsin. Earlier this month, we welcomed Senator Keyeski in for a tour and just last week, we met with Representative Pat Snyder, who is the Chair of the Assembly Committee on Children and Families. Representative Snyder attended the Wisconsin CASA Conference to hear from those who work closest with children and families impacted by abuse and neglect. 

Change takes time, but progress begins when decision-makers understand both the problem and the opportunity. More to come!

Fill Out Our Survey

If you haven’t had a chance to share yet, now is the time! 

What do you think we’re doing well? Where could we improve? How would you like to be part of the next steps? 

Your voice will help shape Canopy Center’s path forward.

✨This Month's Best Social Posts📲

Here's what got the most attention, since the last time we were in your inbox.

Are you following us? Your engagement increases awareness of Canopy Center in the community and helps us serve more people. 

Canopy Center is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Contributions to Canopy Center are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law. Canopy Center tax identification number is: 51-0211908.