April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month—a time to spotlight the importance of keeping children safe and supporting families through education, community awareness, and access to critical resources. In Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance (PFSA) leads the way with its annual Blue Ribbon campaign and an array of statewide initiatives dedicated to prevention.

This year’s theme, “Powered by Hope, Strengthened by Prevention,” reflects the organization’s belief that community, education, and awareness are vital to protecting children. “Hope is something that is incredibly important,” said Angela Little, President and CEO of PFSA, in a recent interview on The Spark. “We especially feel hopeful about the resilience of children, the strength that can be in families, and really the sense of community that can make such a difference for folks.”

FSA recently planted 4,720 blue flags stretching from the Susquehanna River to the steps of the Capitol building in Harrisburg—each representing a substantiated case of child abuse in Pennsylvania in 2023. Interspersed among them were 57 black flags, memorializing children who died as a result of abuse or neglect that year.

“When you see that visual, you go, ‘Oh, my goodness,’” Little said. “I really didn’t have any recognition of how many children are impacted by abuse and neglect.”

The hope is that the display sparks both awareness and action from those passing by. “I hope people look at that and realize, gosh, I need to get involved in this issue,” said Little. “And the first place to start is, what about the kids and the families that are right around me?”

From WITF, April 22, 2025