April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, an observance that is always close to Easter. Images of children with palm branches and Sunday finery remind us that Jesus loves these little ones — and so should the Church.

During 2016, 1,750 children in the U.S. died from abuse and neglect, according to the National Children’s Alliance and the U.S. Administration for Children & Families. Nationwide, approximately 700,000 children are the victims of abuse every year.

Neglect is the most common form of maltreatment. These statistics are more than heartbreaking; they are jarring. As Jesus’ representatives in the world, how can we make preventing child abuse part of our mission?

Here are five ways you can start impacting your community and becoming known as a church that cares about kids, just like Jesus does:

Raise Awareness

Make sure everyone knows the risk factors of abuse, as well as how to get help. There are a number of positive campaigns, like Pinwheels for Prevention. Any church can join the movement, make your own pinwheels or contact a participating organization that will deliver a pinwheel garden.

Prevention is about finding positive ways to help families create happy, healthy homes. You can adapt the many available resources for your ministries. 

Help Families in Crisis

Children living in homes with substance abuse issues are at greater risk for child abuse. Opioid abuse is spreading like wildfire. No town is too small. No family is immune.

Drug abuse in the home is a major reason for children entering the foster care system, but there is a shortage of available foster parents. In many cases, grandparents are raising their grandchildren.

At our annual Vanguard University Ensure Justice conference, a team from West Virginia introduced Handle with Care (HWC). This program helps bridge the gap when a child is present during an encounter with law enforcement.  The next day, the child’s school receives a notice that simply says, “Handle with care.”

Everyone, from office workers to classroom teachers, understands what this means and has training to support traumatized children. (You can learn more in this interview with Andrea Darr, director of the West Virginia Center for Children’s Justice.)

Nationwide, approximately 700,000 children are the victims of abuse every year.

Support Community Efforts

Be the church that shows up to help children. The community will notice that your church cares about kids.

We often think we must start something in our churches. It’s easy to overlook the fact that there are existing efforts to which we could contribute.

As a missionary involved in crisis response to natural disasters and conflict, I learned that when that big container of aid arrived, the most important next step was distribution. Churches had the opportunity to come alongside organizations to help. The same is often true when it comes to child abuse prevention.

Your church already has an established volunteer infrastructure. Are there community efforts you can join?  Don’t hide your light under a basket. Go find out where you can serve. The answer isn’t always taking a special offering; it is often an offering of in-person service.

Break the Cycle

Make sure everyone on your ministry team knows how to report abuse and how to refer struggling families to the resources they need.

Child abuse is often connected to other issues, like poverty or unemployment. Stress grows and may overwhelm a parent. What if you could help these parents before they reach a breaking point? Connecting a struggling family to resources can prevent situations where neglect and abuse may occur.

Most communities have a network of support systems that include churches, nonprofits and government agencies. Find out where they are, and add them to a referral page in your staff directory. Sometimes, plugging a family into an after-school childcare program and a grocery supplement changes everything.

Be sure to post the National Child Abuse Hotline number: 800-4-A-CHILD (800-422-4453). Anyone can call for help, resources or information.

It is also important to know who is a mandatory reporter in your state. For more information, see this article by Richard Hammer, legal counsel to The General Council of the Assemblies of God.

Go the Extra Mile

Are there folks in your church who want to do more? They can volunteer as Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA).

There may also be families who are ready and prepared to open their home to a foster child. May is National Foster Care Month. Child Abuse Prevention Month is a great way to prepare for the next step in serving the most vulnerable.

Defending the weak is the very the heart of God. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14).