We’ve been busy this past month and we want to make sure you didn’t miss any of our updates or tips for keeping children safe. Here are some of the most important initiatives we’ve tackled in May.
- Addressing 13 Reasons Why: A new series called “13 Reasons Why” has recently been released on Netflix. The series chronicles events leading up to a high school student’s suicide, including scenes that depict sexual assault and cyberbullying. It’s garnered a lot of popularity with teenagers and younger children, which is cause for concern among parents and educators.Our foundation has fielded a lot of questions from parents who are unsure if the subject matter of “13 Reasons Why” is appropriate for their child and how they should discuss its mature themes if it is. That’s why we’ve reached out to The Jed Foundation, a partner organization that specializes in teen suicide prevention. Here are two important resources you should consult before letting your child watch “13 Reasons Why”: The Jed Foundation’s 13 Reasons Why viewer considerations and The Jed Foundation’s 13 Reasons Why talking points for parents and children. Bullying is preventable. Please let us know if you have any further questions, comments or concerns about “13 Reasons Why” or cyberbullying.
- The Beau Biden Foundation is Expanding to Pennsylvania: We’re excited to announce a new partnership with the Central Bucks Family YMCA. This will give us a chance to train YMCA staff on sexual abuse prevention and online safety. The goal of the partnership is to give back to the community and replicate a lot of the work we’ve done in Delaware in Pennsylvania.
- Help us participate in the #RockOneSock campaign: Today is National Missing Children’s Day and we’re joining our partner, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) in their #RockOneSock campaign to raise awareness for missing children. You can join in and stand in solidarity with families of missing children by wearing one sock and posting a photo on social media with the hashtag #RockOneSock.You can also help us aid law enforcement in locating missing children. The first 24 hours after a child goes missing are the most critical. That’s why we’re helping parents create child ID kits that include all the pertinent information law enforcement officials need if something should happen. You can help us reach our goal of creating 15,000 child ID kits by chipping in $5 or $10. Also, make sure you download NCMEC’s safety app. The app, reminds parents when it’s time to update their child’s photos and allows you to store potentially life-saving information about your children in an easily accessible location. Download the app here.
- Summer Camp Safety Reminder: Schools will be letting out in just a few short weeks, if you haven’t already taken a look at our summer camp safety checklist, make sure you do before you select which camp or activity your child takes part in this summer. Read the guidelines here.
Thanks for taking the time to catch up with the Beau Biden Foundation.