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ONE fingernail painted blue starts

ONE conversation that moves us

ONE step closer to polishing off child abuse

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What is MANicure Movement®?

MANicure Movement® started in Central Florida in 2017 as a grassroots effort designed to raise awareness about child abuse as a national health crisis. Throughout the month of April, child welfare agencies work in tandem with community partners to highlight the important prevention work that is being done to create strong families. 

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You Can Be Part of the Movement

The campaign runs throughout the month of April — National Child Abuse Prevention Month — and offers many opportunities to participate.

Wear blue: April 5 is Wear Blue Day and the official start of the campaign. Wear blue that day and start a conversation about child abuse prevention in your workplace, at school, in the grocery store — wherever you’re out and about.

Join us at one of our events to paint your fingernail blue and learn what you can do to support child abuse prevention efforts in your community. 

Start a conversation at your workplace, school or community group. And if you’d like us to join you and paint your group’s fingernails blue, just let us know. You can email us at community.relations@embracefamilies.org, and we’ll work with you to find a time that’s most convenient for your group.

Take a pledge against child abuse by painting your fingernail blue and signing up to volunteer with one of our community partners.

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Check out the tabs below to learn about our events and ways to participate.

How to Get Involved

The HOPE Framework — Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences — is a new way of seeing and talking about experiences that support children’s growth into healthy, resilient adults.

Our goal for MANicure Movement® is to inspire a HOPE-informed movement that educates the community about child abuse prevention efforts and prompts action.

In addition to painting your nail blue to spark a conversation, would you consider taking things a step further by learning more about the important work being done in our communities in the following ways?

Here are things you can do to help:

Develop Nurturing and Supportive Relationships

Safe, loving relationships between children and their parents, caregivers and other supportive adults help children grow up healthier
and more resilient. Research shows that kids mentored by a caring adult at an early age more successfully maneuvers through life’s
obstacles.

Want to be that caring adult? Consider Embrace Families’ Legacy Mentor Program.

Support Safe and Stable Environments 

Safe, equitable and stable environments — at home, at school and in the community — provide opportunities for children to have
their needs met, feel secure and have a sense of belonging. Programs like the following help families build these kind of environments:

Ending child and family homelessness with Pathways to Home: Pathways to Home

Bethany Christian Services’ Safe Families: Safe Families for Children | Bethany

Heart, Hands and Hope: About Us – Hearts, Hands and Hope (hearts-hands-hope.org)

United Against Poverty: United Against Poverty | Lifting Lives

Girls on the Run: Volunteer | GOTR Central Florida

Encourage Constructive Engagement and Social Connectedness 

We all need to know we matter to other people and our communities. That starts by lending a helping hand to a neighbor in need. Know where to help families in your area turn for support.

DCF’s Hope Florida — A Pathway to Prosperity Service: Hope Florida | Florida DCF (myflfamilies.com)

United Way’s 211 Service: United Way 211 – 211 Site (211unitedway.org)

Volunteer

Volunteers play a critical role in fulfilling the mission of local nonprofit organizations. Without your support, we could not meet
the needs of children and families. Take a pledge against child abuse by signing up
to volunteer.

And here’s one more: Report 

If you suspect a child is experiencing abuse in any setting, for immediate help call:

9-1-1 to alert local law enforcement.

To contact the National Child Abuse Hotline, call 1-800-422-4453.

In Florida, call 1-800-962-2873.

March 29, 9 – 10:30 a.m.: Orange County Children’s Cabinet

Orange County JAC, 823 W. Central Blvd, Orlando, FL 32805

April 3, 5 – 7 p.m.: Embrace Families Community Based Care 20th Anniversary Celebration

Varsity Club at Camping World Stadium, One Citrus Bowl Place, Orlando

April 5: Public Lighting in Blue, Downtown Orlando

Kia Center
Lake Eola Fountian
Lake Lorna Doone Park Fountain

April 6 – 7, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.: Fiesta in the Park 

Around Lake Eola in Downtown Orlando

April 10, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.: Leadership Osceola 

April 11, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.: Orange County Sheriff – Child Abuse Prevention Event

Sheriff’s Office, 2500 West Colonial Dive, Orlando

April 13, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.: Seminole County Children’s Cabinet 2024 Resource Event

Altamonte Mall, 451 East Altamonte Drive, Altamonte Springs, FL 32701

MANicure Movement® Mondays

Join the movement every Monday. Get together at work or school and paint your fingernails blue. Take pictures while you’re doing it and post them to your social media. Share them on our social channels, too:

www.facebook.com/embracefamilies
www.linkedin.com/company/embrace-families
www.instagram.com/embracefamiliesfl