It’s Child Abuse Prevention Month! 

And that’s a pretty big deal around here. 🙂 It’s easy to get wrapped up in uncertainty - uncertainty around funding and policy that could affect us and other non-profits who support children and families; and other supports that many of the families we serve rely on, like BadgerCare and Wisconsin FoodShare (SNAP) - but it’s important to remember our “why.” 

Every day our staff and volunteers provide services that help prevent abuse from happening again. Child Abuse Prevention Month is a great reminder of that - it gives us a stage to talk about the importance of supporting all members of the community and to reflect on the difference we can make, together.

Just as we were brainstorming for this newsletter - a family who was separated for safety concerns and whose supervised visits used to be tense and uncomfortable; were laughing and playing kickball in our yard while a Canopy Center Family Interaction Specialist looked on. Healthy families means safer, healthy communities. 

Your support helps prevent child abuse. 

Here's the latest:  
💙 Child Abuse Prevention Month Highlights | Bite size links and info on how we spent the month raising awareness - from TV to Dane County Board Supervisor & CASA Volunteer Rick Rose’s impassioned speech at the Child Abuse Prevention Month Proclamation
🤝 The Power of Community | How private donations helped us re-introduce group therapy and receive specialized training

🦋 Stand Up for Kids, Dolly said so! | Sponsor shout out and live auction preview
📲 Social Media Stand Outs | Find out what’s getting attention on our Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn Pages

Child Abuse Prevention Month Highlights

💙 We kicked off the month with Wear Blue Day on April 5 - special shout out to our friends at One Community Bank for wearing blue AND rocking their Stand Up for Kids buttons from our Child Abuse Prevention Month Kit!
💙 Following the safe return of Sophia Franklin, our Executive Director Meaghan Henry spoke with WMTV15 about what we’re doing to identify risk factors of sex trafficking and provide early intervention for children who have experienced abuse or neglect.
💙 Dane County Board Supervisor Lisa Jackson read a proclamation recognizing April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month, which included a reference to the 1,280 reports of abuse or neglect of a child made to CPS in 2023. Supervisor and long-time CASA Volunteer Rick Rose also shared his frustration with the system and how CASA fills the gap. 

💙 CASA Staff presented at the Together for Children Conference about how to recognize and support youth who have experienced or are at risk for sex trafficking. 

💙 April 17 is “I am for the Child Day” and Canopy Center staff joined CASA Programs from across the state, at the Capitol, to raise awareness and meet with legislators to advocate for needed funding. 

** Need a quick refresher on our Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Program? 

The Power of Community

Thanks to the generosity of the Madison Rotary Foundation, 100 Men of Dane County (you can watch our application video here) and many individual donors, we’re thrilled to announce the return of group therapy to our Oasis Program. This April we launched our first group for adult survivors of child sexual abuse. 

Adult Survivor Group Therapy offers a safe and supportive environment for individuals to work through the trauma they experienced as children. Participants vary in age from mid-20s to 50+, and for some - this is the first time they have talked about what happened to them. Therapists guide each session and address topics such as resilience, emotional regulation, self-care and building healthy relationships. Group therapy also fosters connection and allows participants to talk about their experiences and find strength in their shared journey. 

Beyond group therapy, we have been able to partner with community-based experts like Gretchen Crabb who generously offered to provide specialized training on creating sensory-friendly therapy spaces. Gretchen spent the morning in our “Jungle” therapy room, designed to accommodate high sensory needs children and youth who come to Canopy Center for sexual abuse treatment, and spoke to our therapists about how each of the eight senses relates to trauma, demonstrating how to use our existing equipment to relate to the senses and experiences of each child. 

At Canopy Center, we are constantly working toward making sure that our therapy environments are as inclusive and comfortable as possible, for all clients, including those with unique sensory needs. 

After devastating cuts to federal funding for victim services last year, it is truly the power of community (you!) that allows us to continue this work and provide opportunities to heal for all children and survivors of abuse. 

Looking ahead, we’re excited to launch a new art therapy group for pre-teens and teens. This program will offer young participants a creative outlet to explore their emotions and develop positive coping skills. Art therapy has proven to be a powerful tool for self-expression, especially for youth who may struggle to communicate their feelings through words alone.

Together, we’re making it possible to bring life-changing programs to those who need them most. Thank you for believing in this mission and for being a part of the solution.

When Gretchen visited she recommended that we add a few items to our space, like this Crawl and Calm Resistance Tunnel; donate today to keep the momentum going. 

Stand Up for Kids, Dolly said so!

Stand Up for Kids is just two weeks away and we are *almost* sold out! Reserve your spot here and help us celebrate in the way only Dolly can - with big hair, western wear and live music! 

Thanks again to our sponsors for making this event possible and supporting access to advocacy, safety and therapy. Last year, this event helped us provide stabilizing services and therapeutic treatment for over 250 children and youth! 

✨Our Best Social Moments📲

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

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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.