This week we are highlighting a wonderful non profit not too far from us located in Montpelier, Vermont- Prevent Child Abuse (PCAVT). The organization was founded over 35 years ago and continues to help kids by educating parents and bringing to light child abuse issues.
Proactive education is a key to the organizations success in preventing child abuse. PCAVT invests a significant amount of resources both human and financial into Shaken Baby Syndrome training. Training is offered to nearly all parents of newborns in Vermont. PCAVT provides information on how to safely handle stressful moments with infants and the dangers of shaking a baby. With knowledge the organization feels that their will be less cases of shaken baby syndrome. Given the number of training courses that are required (in 2010 they held 169 courses); a large percentage of their budget is dedicated to this cause. PCAVT has formed a powerful partnership with Designs By Lucinda. They sell our Little Pal Pins to help fund the Shaken Baby Syndrome program and to raise recognition for children. They are an ideal image that connects the organizations cause to a pin that is not only worn by women but by men as well.
It is a great communication vehicle that has outreach to both genders. Men love the Little Pal Star pins as they associate them with wearing a sheriff’s badge. Both men and women think the pins are unique and increase visibility for PCAVT. When we inquired further into how the pins have helped their organization, they noted that because of Lucinda’s story, the pins have much more impact and have led to more support for their organization. PCAVT said that there is greater connection between their donors when they hear how Lucinda was once homeless and went on to create an organization with a mission to give back. The organization says that the people who wear the pins become ambassadors for Prevent Child Abuse Vermont through the conversations they start. One teacher even said that “The Kid Pins are getting to be Vermont’s jewelry of choice.” Given this, we asked what outlets they use to sell the pins. PCAVT said they use several distribution channels including stores, restaurants, conferences, schools, through volunteers, at their physical location and on their website www.pcavt.org.
One final statistic that the organization left us with was the number of Vermonters who have been impacted through their training programs in 2010- 37,532. Quite a substantial number of people share their stories and life experiences so the trickle effect was far greater. Thank you PCAVT for your good work and for partnering with us so that we can help in growing the number of people helped by your program.
