Together, the BBF + NVCF will assist local youth-serving organizations in developing best practices in child protection policies.

Wilmington, DE & Chico, CA – The Beau Biden Foundation for the Protection of Children (BBF) and the North Valley Community Foundation (NCVF) announced a partnership today to help protect children in Northern California from abuse, neglect, and bullying thanks to a special grant for youth-serving organizations in the Butte County and the North Valley region. Through this grant – provided by NVCF’s Thrive program – the Beau Biden Foundation will work with NVCF’s youth-serving grantees to help ensure the safety and well-being of the young people in their care and protect those children from the potential threat of abuse through the Foundation’s Shield of Protection^®.

The Shield of Protection is an innovative and comprehensive collaboration between Beau Biden Foundation, schools, and youth-serving organizations to help improve existing child protection policies and implement evidence-informed abuse prevention training with the Foundation’s team of experienced lawyers, educators, and retired law enforcement.

Five children will die every day from abuse and neglect. In 2018, there were over 480,000 reports (allegations) of child abuse or neglect in California. Nationally, 1 in 10 children will be sexually abused by the time they turn 18.

“Children need our help now, more than ever,” said the Beau Biden Foundation’s Executive Director, Patricia Lewis, Esq. “The current health crisis has forced many children to shelter in dangerous places – with their abuser. This partnership will help ensure the safety of children in Northern California by equipping these organizations and their staff with the best practices in child protection. Thank you to the North Valley Community Foundation, all of your staff, and partners for your commitment to protecting children and confronting abuse.”

“We feel very fortunate to be partnering with the Beau Biden Foundation,” said Alexa Benson-Valavanis, NVCF president and CEO. “Beau Biden devoted his career to ensuring the wellbeing of children. We jumped at the chance to partner with the Foundation in this vitally important work, to protect children from abuse and neglect.”

Thus far, seven organizations in the North Valley region have been awarded the Shield of Protection grant. These organizations include The Axiom, the African American Family & Cultural Center, Butte County Behavioral Health Prevention Unit, Valley Oak Children’s Services, Youth For Change, Reading Pals, and The Boys & Girls Clubs of the North Valley.

For more information regarding the Beau Biden Foundation’s Shield of Protection, visit www.BeauBidenFoundation.org/ShieldOfProtection. To learn more about North Valley Community Foundation, visit www.nvcf.org.

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ABOUT THE BEAU BIDEN FOUNDATION FOR THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN:
The Beau Biden Foundation for the Protection of Children (BBF) was established in June 2015 as an operating 501(c)(3) nonprofit to continue Delaware Attorney General Joseph R. “Beau” Biden III’s commitment to protect children and confront abuse. We believe that children should grow up safe and healthy, in a world free from abuse. Our conviction is that child abuse can be prevented by effectively educating adults and children, developing the next generation of child welfare professionals, and strengthening child protection laws around the country. BBF currently has child abuse prevention programming in 22 states. Learn more about the Foundation at www.BeauBidenFoundation.org and follow the Foundation on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@BeauBidenFdn)

ABOUT THE NORTH VALLEY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION:

North Valley Community Foundation has served the northern Sacramento Valley since 1989. Through grantmaking, partnerships, and financial and philanthropic services, NVCF is a hub for social change in the North Valley. In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, NVCF raised $22 million for social good and issued more than $25 million in grants. Much of NVCF grants recently have been focused on disaster relief, including $37 million for relief and recovery after the 2018 Camp Fire, $2 million in coronavirus response, and more than $300,000 for relief efforts after wildfires in 2020. NVCF also holds hundreds of charitable funds, each embodying a community member’s dream to improve our world.

Thrive is an NVCF initiative focused on emotional healing for children, families, and individuals after the Camp Fire and other local crises. Thrive brings together a collaboration of people, organizations, and agencies committed to engaging in work surrounding the impact of childhood trauma across all generations. NVCF consolidated various healing initiatives under the name of Thrive to reflect the collective work of stakeholders.