Open Arms Hosting 'Darkness to Light'

This Thursday, April 3rd at 5:30p.m-8:00p.m, Open Arms Community Church will be hosting Darkness to Light, Stewards of Children, brought to you by The Olean-Bradford YMCA and The McKean County Collaborative Board.

The training will be held at the church which is located at 1289 East Main Street, in Bradford, PA. This is a one time, 2-hour evidence-informed training program that teaches adults how to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. The program is designed for parents, youth serving organizations, and other concerned individuals.

“As a representative of Open Arms Community Church, I speak for all of us, we are excited to host this event and bring awareness to our community. We hope that as organizations and adults who care about children, you will join us in confronting this epidemic.” says Assistant Pastor Justin Willoughby. Open Arms Community Church desires to produce transformed lives by addressing spiritual needs, health, finances, education, and leadership.

The Olean-Bradford YMCA also realizes the importance of this epidemic. “YMCAs take child protection very seriously. Their extensive policies and attention to safety regarding every program and service make them a leader in "state of the art" child protection policy. They also know that this alone does not keep children safe in their communities. They instead recognize the need for leadership at every level to be involved and engaged in protecting children from sexual abuse. With the health and well-being of children and families at the heart of their mission and a long history of tackling tough community issues, Ys across the country are stepping up to convene leaders and engage the entire community in prevention.” says Executive Director Steve Jackson of The Bradford Family YMCA.

Nationally 400,000 children are sexually abused each year. 93% of victims are abused by someone they know or trust. 63% are acquaintances like teachers, neighbors, or community leaders. 37% are immediate or extended family. ONLY 7% are strangers to the child. Together we can learn more about helping to prevent child abuse and learn how to react responsibly.

Please preregister by calling The Bradford Family YMCA at 814-368-6101 or stop in their facility located at 59 Boylston Street in Bradford, PA.

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