Safe Passage for Children is gearing up for National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April. This is an opportunity for all of us to do our part to help recognize and prevent child maltreatment, which we know has harmed at least 5,000 children and killed 21 children in Minnesota in 2022 alone.
To kick off this important month, the I-35W bridge will be lit up blue on April 1. Additionally, Governor Walz has issued a proclamation declaring April to be Child Abuse Prevention Month in Minnesota.
Although Safe Passage is committed to child abuse prevention every day of the year, we invite you to join us for two important events at the Capitol on April 1 and April 7.
Luminary Event: “Shining a Light: A Night of Remembrance and Reckoning for Abused Children”
When: April 1 at 8 p.m.
Where: Minnesota State Capitol Steps
Details: Join us for an evening dedicated to remembrance and reflection, as community members come together to honor MN children who have lost their lives or been impacted by child abuse. This tribute will honor the young lives lost to abuse and maltreatment, shine a light on the systemic failures that allow these tragedies to persist and call for meaningful change to protect Minnesota’s most vulnerable children. The brief program will include remarks from Safe Passage for Children of MN, legislators, and family members of children who lost their life to child abuse.
The link to register is here. We look forward to seeing you!
Advocacy Day: “Safe Passage for Children’s 2025 Advocacy for Children Day”
When: April 7 at 10 a.m.
Where: Minnesota State Capitol Building
Details: Stand with us as we advocate for stronger protections and support for children. We invite the community to join us and help share our top concerns with policymakers and community leaders including mandated reporter training/education, child fatalities and near fatalities reporting and allocation of state dollars toward child protection. If you’ve never met with your legislator, that’s okay! You don’t need to have a background in social services or medicine; you just need to have a heart for at-risk children. The Safe Passage for Children of MN team provides attendees with all the information they need for a 10 to 15 minute meeting with their senator or representative to make them aware of the impact of these bills. For those unable to make it in person, the Safe Passage team can schedule a virtual meeting.
The link to register is here. We look forward to seeing you!
There’s power in numbers. Thanks for joining with us to speak on behalf of children who are suffering from or are at high risk of maltreatment.
Safe Passage is advocating not only for data transparency, but also for improvements in our child welfare system. As the only government watchdog group of its kind in Minnesota, we invite you to join us in looking out for kids.