Mayor DePinto signs proclamation to acknowledge April as ‘Child Abuse Prevention Month’

Mayor Joe DePinto and the City of Yelm are doing their parts in helping foster an environment that every child can enjoy, as he signed a mayoral proclamation on Tuesday, April 14, during a Yelm City Council meeting to officially designate April as “Child Abuse Prevention Month” in the city.

He said the City of Yelm recognizes that its future rests in the hands of its most vulnerable and cherished assets — children. DePinto stated that all children deserve to live in a safe, stable and nurturing environment that promotes their healthy growth and development.

“Child abuse, neglect and other trauma are recognized as serious public health problems affecting both the current and future quality of life in our community,” DePinto stated. “It is the responsibility of our community to ensure parents, caregivers and other adults who influence the health and well-being of children have the support, knowledge and concrete resources necessary to ensure all children thrive to their greatest potential.”

DePinto added that effective child abuse prevention strategies succeed because of partnerships among agencies, schools, religious organizations, law enforcement agencies, health care providers and the business community.

“We, as the City of Yelm residents, continue our commitment to protecting all members of our community, and call upon all citizens to join together to increase public safety and prevent further abuse and neglect of our children,” DePinto said. “Now, therefore, be it resolved, that I, Joe DePinto, Mayor of the City of Yelm, proclaim April 2026 as Child Abuse Prevention Month, and urge all Yelm citizens, communities, state agencies, faith groups, medical facilities, elected leaders, medical providers, educators and businesses to increase their participation in efforts to support families, thereby preventing child abuse and strengthening the community in which we live.”

Following DePinto’s proclamation, Kait Toompas, board member of Family Education and Support Services (FESS), spoke to those attending the meeting about child abuse prevention month.

“I am honored to speak on behalf of our 35 employees and our entire executive board. Thank you guys so much for allowing me to be here to accept the proclamation recognizing April as childhood abuse prevention month,” Toompas said. “Each April across the country, you may see small pinwheels planted in front of courthouses, schools and community spaces. They may look simple, but they carry a powerful message. The pinwheel is a national symbol representing happy, healthy and safe childhoods that all children deserve. It’s also a symbol of hope and the possibility of what we can do together, when we gather as a community.”

At FESS, according to Toompas, the organization works directly with families in order to provide evidence-based parenting education for caregivers at every stage. She described FESS’s work not as reactive, but rather proactive, ongoing and essential.

“We appreciate your leadership and support in recognizing April as child abuse prevention month and supporting the services that help families stay stable and children stay safe,” Toompas said.