This Wednesday, Oct. 24th, everyone is encouraged to wear purple for a very special cause.

Dress Purple Day is celebrated throughout Ontario to raise awareness about child abuse and the services available for those in need.

Organized by the Ontario Children’s Aid Societies (CAS) and, in Timmins, through the Northeastern Ontario Family and Children’s Services (NEOFACS), Dress Purple Day is helping break the silence that surrounds child abuse and raise awareness about the rights of children and youth to safety and well-being. It brings awareness to the responsibility of adults and community services to help children, youths and families who need support.

Dress Purple Day ties into Child Abuse Prevention Month in October. Melanie Watson, Communications Coordinator for NEOFACS, says the organization is working with schools to help shine the spotlight on this campaign.

“We’re working collectively with the schools and early-on centres,” Watson said, “and encouraging everyone to dress purple and building awareness about the services available to help children and youth in need.”

NEOFACS is an organization that offers a variety of services within the community, primarily child welfare and children’s mental health services for families and children in need. The Dress Purple Campaign itself has more specific goals.

“The campaign is building awareness about the duty to report child abuse,” said Watson, “and also educating youth and children about who to ask for help and that there are services there if they need them.”

Be sure to support the Dress Purple Day Campaign by wearing purple this Wednesday, Oct. 24th.

For more information on the Dress Purple Day Campaign, go to oacas.org/dresspurpleday.

For more on NEOFACS, visit their website here.

 

Filed under: Local News