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January 11th is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. National Human Trafficking Awareness Day is designated to bring awareness to the plague of Human Trafficking. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, nearly 25,000 runaways were reported in 2017. Of those, an estimated 1 in 7 were possible victims of child sex trafficking. This sobering statistic heightens the importance of being aware of the global problem of human trafficking. Be Aware As a busy parent, the possibility of having to deal with this issue is likely a low priority on your list of daily concerns. While the likelihood of your child becoming a victim is remote, it is important to be aware of the issue and look for signs of human trafficking in your community. The National Human Trafficking Hotline lists a number of “red flags” to look for in your community. These include: Common Work and Living Conditions: Person is not free to leave or come and go as he/she wishes Person is in the commercial sex industry and has a “manager” They owe a large debt and is unable to pay it off Poor Mental Health or Abnormal Behavior: Person appears fearful, anxious, depressed, submissive, tense, nervous or paranoid Person exhibits unusually fearful or anxious behavior after bringing up law enforcement They avoid eye contact Poor Physical Health: Person doesn’t have medical care and/or is denied medical services by employer Person appears malnourished or shows signs of repeated exposure to harmful chemicals They show signs of physical and/or sexual abuse, physical restraint, confinement, or torture Often, bizarre security measures inconsistent with the rest of the area exist in the work and/or living locations. Look for opaque or boarded-up windows,  bars on windows, barbed wire, security cameras, etc.. How to Protect Your Children Tell your child to always be aware of their surroundings, be wary of communicating with strangers, and always have their cell phones with them (and charged!) with family and emergency contacts programmed in. Helping your child develop and maintain good self-esteem and healthy relationships, you reduce the risk that he or she will be targeted by traffickers. Nationwide Children’s Hospital offers some tips on their website including: Know what your kids are doing online. (check out our recent tips on online safety) Know who your kids are with and where they are hanging out. There are obvious situations, like being on the street late at night, but even places like the mall can be dangerous. Teach your children resiliency. Help your child build strong self-esteem from an early age. Maintain open communication with your child. Be someone the teens in your life can talk with. Awareness and caution are key to recognizing, reducing, and preventing human and sex trafficking. If you have any questions or concerns about this topic visit the National Human Trafficking Hotline or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children websites.

THANK YOU! Because of your generous spirit, we raised over $2500 yesterday -exceeding our goal. Thank you! Don’t worry, it’s never too late to give a gift to Beech Acres Parenting Center. Remember, your donation helps inspire and equip parents to raise capable, caring, contributing children. Make a one time or recurring gift online today or contact our development team at 513-231-6630 to find out how you can become more involved in our mission.

Beech Acres Parenting Center is grateful to the Scripps Howard Foundation for their generous grant of $10,000 designated for our Family Emergency Fund. The Family Emergency Fund helps address basic needs that many of the families we serve face, including shelter, transportation, clothing, and food. Thank you to the Scripps Howard Foundation for your extraordinary generosity! ABOUT THE SCRIPPS HOWARD FOUNDATION The Scripps Howard Foundation (www.scripps.com/foundation), based in Cincinnati, Ohio, is the philanthropic arm of The E.W. Scripps Company. With a special commitment to the regions where Scripps does business, the Foundation helps build strong communities and improve the quality of life through support of sound educational programs, strong families, vital social services, enriching arts and culture and inclusive civic affairs. The Scripps Howard Foundation is a leader in industry efforts in journalism education, scholarships, internships, minority recruitment and development, literacy and First Amendment causes.

On June 21, 2019, during a meeting of the Anderson Township Board of Trustees, Beech Acres Parenting Center was formally recognized for 170 years of service to parents, families, and children in the greater Cincinnati area. The board issued a proclamation declaring Tuesday, June 25, 2019, as Beech Acres Parenting Center Day in Anderson Township which was graciously accepted by President & CEO Jim Mason. 

Summer vacation is here! Are your kids already bored? We’ve got you covered with some easy, fun summer activities that you can do each week. The best part is these activities allow you to recognize and build on your child’s strengths. If you haven’t already taken the VIA Survey of Character Strengths, you can get started here. Then you can download and print activity sheets for June, July, and August and work on recognizing your child’s strengths all summer long.

Last year we worked with Ohio Book Store to restore and rebind an important piece of our history. This ledger contains the names of over 3000 children who lived at Beech Acres when we were first an orphanage and later a residential facility. Of course, these days Beech Acres Parenting Center is focused on serving parents, families, and children where they are, such as in schools and pediatric offices, but it is fun to acknowledge our past as we look forward to the future. Enjoy these before and after photos of our newly restored ledger.