Where I Stand — Donna Coleman: Caring is duty of all

Friday, Aug. 15, 2003 | 8:48 a.m.

Editor's note: In August the Where I Stand column is written by guest writers. Today's columnist, Donna Coleman, is president of the Children's Advocacy Alliance. The nonprofit organization, which is based in Southern Nevada, works to protect children who have been the victims of abuse and neglect.

"BATTLE BORN" is our state's motto, and after the most combative legislative session in our history one thing is very clear: Nevada citizens must start thinking more creatively about solutions to our state's problem areas.

There are things that do require more funding by state and local government, such as hiring more teachers, police officers and firefighters. Additionally, there are ways to make huge improvements and tap resources, such as people and federal dollars, that do not require large sums of state or county funds or the raising of taxes.

Our organization, The Children's Advocacy Alliance, has partnered with the county and the state on a number of projects, some small and some large, that creatively solved problems.

The Children's Advocacy Alliance raised $1.1 million in private money to build, and donate to the county, the Children's Advocacy Center, which is for children who have been the victim of sexual abuse. Instead of going to the hospital, to the police station, to the caseworker and repeating their story each time along the way -- and in effect being victimized again at each stop -- they now go to one center where representatives from all these groups and agencies are housed.

The Children's Advocacy Alliance also facilitated the establishment of the Diligent Search Center. This center seeks out relatives of children in foster care for kinship care when appropriate relatives are willing to care for these children.

Most recently, the Children's Advocacy Alliance partnered with the state in passing a law that will now identify sex offenders living in our community by placing them on a state-run website, paid for by our group and by some federal money. This website is targeted to be up and running by January 2004.

There are many groups in the state that have stepped up and been equally creative, such as the Andre Agassi Foundation, Junior League, United Way, The Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth and The Nevada Community Foundation. Many schoolteachers give their own money to make ends meet in their classrooms, and churches and many visible and anonymous foundations and individuals also have stepped up to help.

Yet, would it surprise you to learn that Nevadans rank 40th nationally in charitable giving? And near last in volunteerism? Why? Some think it's the nature of our transient population. Is it that people don't feel part of the community or they've done their giving or continue to give in their old communities?

If this apathy towards their new community continues, how then are we ever going achieve even a score of average in the many areas where we now rank close to the bottom in the nation? One way is to form a governor's task force for children's issues. Bring the best and the brightest minds together to seek out creative solutions for our children.

This task force could be comprised of a variety of community leaders, bringing a diverse background to the table. Each person would be responsible for seeking out the best practices nationwide and bringing these solutions back to the task force.

In the area of teen suicide, for example, a member of a children's task force could look to a program developed in Colorado. It was in that state that the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program was founded by the parents of a bright, funny and loving teen (Mike Emme), who took his life when he did not know how to let someone know he was in trouble and needed help. The program (very simple to start and very successful) was implemented in the Emmes' local school and now eight years later is worldwide.

Another program that has surfaced, and which is focusing on our state, is a national organization called Communities In Schools. This group achieves success in education by helping "community service providers to work as a personalized team alongside educators, volunteers and mentors, connecting schools with the resources that students need most."

These are examples of things we could do that could have a tremendous positive effect and ultimately push our numbers on caring for children into the positive category. All Nevadans, however, must take ownership of our state's pluses and minuses if we call Nevada our home. We must strive to change the dismal statistic of being near the bottom in volunteerism, and hopefully out of this last battle will be born a new feeling of community.