What causes abuse and neglect? Almost 7,000 cases were reported in Monroe County in 2006-this was the highest level in more than a decade. Poverty, lack of education, a generational pattern of family violence are all considered factors.

What does child abuse cause? Lifelong scars that act as a culture for mental and emotional ills—and may eventually lead to more abuse.

What are you doing about it? Your generosity to the United Way Community Fund enlivens programs that:

• Focus on prevention and parenting skills, like the Nurse-Family Partnership program—the incidence of child abuse and neglect in the first two years of life (for children in high-risk families) can be reduced by 75%.  Long-term, follow-up studies reveal that over 15 years, there is a 50% reduction.
• Improve access to quality childcare for low-income families.  More than seven out of every ten children, who are raised in low-income families, have a parent who works. Quality childcare has been linked with improving readiness to learn. We’re collaborating with several partners to help ensure as many eligible families as possible can become enrolled.

There’s no one solution, but people in crisis benefit when we act as one.