Thunder Bay steps up to raise awareness about child abuse prevention
By Rick Garrick
THUNDER BAY — Dilico Anishinabek Family Care provided purple Step Up masks for purchase as part of its 11th annual Step Up campaign to raise awareness about Child Abuse Prevention Month.
The masks were sold online in adult and youth sizes to support the Mazinaajim Children’s Foundation.
“We were really excited to do the Step Up masks because typically in the past, it’s been wear a purple t-shirt,” says Darcia Borg, executive director at Dilico. “But to go along with what everyone is challenged with right now [with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic], we thought the masks would be a great idea and I believe we ended up selling most of them.”
Dilico holds the annual Step Up campaign to encourage families, students, businesses, organizations and schools across the District of Thunder Bay to collectively speak up and share the message that child abuse and neglect can be prevented and that help is available.
“Let’s step up while we stay apart — people throughout the community are invited to wear purple to show their support for the cause,” Borg says. “Go Purple for Prevention Day (Oct. 22) is a way to demonstrate that we all support the happiness, health and well-being of children and youth in our community and to encourage those to ask for help when they need it.”
Borg says Dilico recognizes how difficult this year has been for everyone due to COVID-19, especially the children and families.
“Certainly there’s not only the increase of the financial stress that people are going through, but mental health challenges as well coming from more of the isolation, the lack of community supports,” Borg says. “Not everything is fully open or fully running, so this has really played a part in children and their well-being. We want to encourage everyone to pay special attention to the children and youth in the community.”
Borg says many families and organizations shared photos showing how they participated in the Step Up campaign on social media accounts with the hashtag #StepUpTbay.
“It seems like everyone is getting involved in this,” Borg says. “I find Dilico has always been really fortunate in the support we get for campaigns — I’m really glad people are recognizing the importance of this as well.”
John Dixon, director of Integrated Services at Dilico, stressed the importance of getting involved with the Step Up campaign.
“Wearing a purple t-shirt or mask may seem like a simple thing to do, but it’s a visible sign of support for the idea that everybody should feel safe in their community,” Dixon says. “Go Purple for Prevention Day continues to grow every year which means our message is spreading out throughout the region that helps let others know that Dilico services are available. We can’t do what we do without a community supporting us.”
Borg expressed her thanks to everyone who participated in the Step Up campaign, noting there was an “overwhelming amount of organizations” that participated this year, including the Thunder Bay Police and Thunder Bay Counselling.
“Over the past decade, there’s been thousands of people in Thunder Bay who have really stepped up with us,” Borg says, noting that Dilico offers more services besides bringing children into care. “Since I’ve been in this position, we’re working more around keeping the family together. The services that Dilico provides are the wraparound supports as well. I really encourage people that do see a child or family struggling, to suggest that they reach out so we can offer all of our services to them.”