Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Effort Receives Boost

Central Bucks Family YMCA received a grant this week from Walmart (Warminster, PA) to fund their conveyance of Darkness to Light (D2L), Stewards of Children child sexual abuse prevention training classes in Pennsylvania. Central Bucks Family YMCA, in collaboration with the Pennsylvania YMCA Alliance aims to train 5% of the state’s population in the recognition, prevention and appropriate response to child sexual abuse through the Stewards of Children program.

“We are truly grateful to Walmart for the funds to keep this program going,” said Ro Molyneux, retired chief operating officer at the Y and D2L Trainer. “Our goal is to train over 23,000 Bucks County residents in order to create a movement against child sexual abuse.”

Central Bucks Family YMCA is a non-profit, charitable organization whose purpose is to improve the quality of community life. The Y relies on donations and grants to fund their ongoing community outreach and financial assistance programs, including cancer wellness programs, free 7th grader memberships and financial aid for those who cannot afford programs. Y outreach programs provide vital services to the community at-large.

Walmart’s Local Giving Program provides grants to local organizations to create impact in the neighborhoods they serve and give back locally. Grantees must be nonprofit organizations with programs that benefit the service area of the Walmart Store.

The Darkness to Light, Stewards of Children program is an interactive sexual abuse prevention training program for adults which boasts more than 3500 Facilitators who teach the program in 49 states and 15 additional countries. Oversight for the Bucks County initiative is provided by a coalition of Bucks County agencies dedicated to the cause. The startup for the Bucks County based program was originally funded by Children and Youth Social Services Agency in Bucks County.