Sophia Giuliano, age 1
SWAINTON — Holy Redeemer’s Cape May Healthy Families initiative and program participants Michelle Giuliano and daughter Sophia Giuliano of Cape May Court House, are the winners of a statewide Prevent Child Abuse-New Jersey “Pinwheels for Prevention” photo contest.
The contest was held during Child Abuse Prevention Month in April.
Cape May Healthy Families recognized Child Abuse Prevention Month by hosting its annual Easter Egg Hunt in a pinwheel garden. Parents signed a pledge that stated, “It’s your turn to make a difference!”
The winning photo, a snapshot of Sophia, age 1, was taken by Cape May Healthy Families staff member Charline McVey on the lawn of Holy Redeemer’s Swainton campus.
Holy Redeemer’s Cape May Healthy Families is a parent education and child abuse prevention program for families in southern New Jersey.
The Cape May Healthy Families chapter, affiliated with Healthy Families America, is led by Holy Redeemer Health System and is a program of Holy Redeemer HomeCare and Hospice of New Jersey.
The winning photo was selected by the Prevention Child Abuse-New Jersey contest staff.
For more than 30 years, Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey has helped develop research-based prevention programs, much like Cape May Healthy Families. According to Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey, a child is abused once every hour throughout the state and more than 48,000 children were under state supervision because of threats to their safety and welfare as of June 2010.
Cape May Healthy Families, a free and voluntary service, provides information on health care education, literacy and parenting tips to first-time parents with young children. Healthy Families America is a signature program of Prevent Child Abuse America that has provided home visitation services for more than 16 years to expectant and new parents throughout the United States and Canada.
“We are thrilled that Cape May Healthy Families is the winner of the “Pinwheels for Prevention” photo contest. In addition to raising awareness about child abuse prevention, Cape May Healthy Families supports families year round through education and has helped over 500 families in Cape May County since its start,” said Healthy Families program director and supervisor Peggy Smith of Holy Redeemer Health System. “I am very proud that Holy Redeemer is supporting such a valuable program to help parents achieve their full potential in the Cape May community.”
The photogenic child’s mother Michelle, has been involved with Cape May Healthy Families for 13 months.
“They’ve given me a lot of support and confidence about being a single mom and have helped me recognize that I can do it by myself,” Giuliano said. “It’s nice to have extra support in addition to friends and family and to know that other people are out there to offer a pat on the back or a helping hand.”
Since July 1996, Holy Redeemer HomeCare and Hospice of New Jersey has operated Cape May Healthy Families for local families. Currently about 122 Cape May County families are being prepared for the job of parenting by Healthy Families Cape May chapter family support workers. For more information, call Healthy Families program director and supervisor Peggy Smith at 609-463-6082.
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