Welcome to the AWAKE website! Founded in 1993 as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, AWAKE serves to educate and advocate for the prevention of child abuse and neglect in Jackson County, NC. In addition to prevention services, AWAKE acts as a Children's Advocacy Center during child abuse intervention by coordinating services of local agencies. We hope you enjoy our site and that the resources here are beneficial to you.
Robin Schaeffer , AWAKE Executive Dtr.
Child Abuse Prevention
April was Child Abuse Prevention Month! Over 2500 blue ribbons and 200 "Pinwheels for Prevention" were distributed by AWAKE throughout Jackson and Swain Co. Many individuals wore blue ribbons to signify their support of child abuse prevention. Community members were reminded by these awareness efforts and newspaper articles that child abuse is a preventable problem and everyone needs to be a part of the solution.
Now that April is over, please be aware of the importance of reporting suspected child abuse to Jackson Co. DSS at (828) 586-5546. The reporter can remain anonymous, if desired. It is important to have everyone's involvement and committment to this effort to provide the needed county-wide safety net of protection for our children.
Child sexual abuse prevention training for adults, "Stewards of Children", is still available for groups this yr. in Jackson County & on the Cherokee Reservation. This unique evidence-based project, developed & supervised by the Charleston, SC-based nonprofit organization, Darkness to Light, is provided locally by Mountain Youth Resources staff and consists of 2 1/2 hr. workshops presented to groups of adults who work with or around children. Stewards of Children's training approach is different because it places responsibility on adults for protection of children from sexual abuse. It educates adults in how to prevent, recognize and react to child sexual abuse. To schedule a workshop, call Margie Allison at 506-7152 or email her at margieallison@yahoo.com. You can also contact AWAKE, who will serve as a collaborative partner in the project. More information about Stewards of Children can be found at www.darkness2light.org.
