“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives” – Jackie Robinson
We kicked off 2023 with a bang by announcing the release of the NEW Stewards of Children®, and we have not slowed down since! Take a look back on Darkness to Light’s incredible year full of growth, resiliency, and impact.
Our Honest Conversations programming engaged in a discussion on how we can provide safe spaces for LGBTQ+ youth, and we started a brand-new series of programming called Honoring Their Voices, a virtual series that amplifies the voices of survivors and others with lived experiences of child sexual abuse through engaging and compelling conversations.
The NEW Stewards of Children® was officially launched in April, and we have already Re-Authorized and Newly –Authorized nearly 1,500 Facilitators to take the curriculum into their communities. We were also awarded a Silver and Bronze Telly Award for our updated prevention training. Talk about impact!
We were honored to have partnerships with GoNoodle, ESports Tower, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Kappa Delta Sorority at the College of Charleston, the National Exchange Club and several Charleston area chapters, Crush Yard, TCG New York City Marathon, Maybelline, and Aly Raisman. These partnerships resulted in entire organizations being trained, community engagement, reaching new advocates, and contributions from generous donors.
And in October, our Board of Directors announced the appointment of Rhonda Newton as CEO. “Rhonda is an exceptional leader who continues to play an instrumental role in revitalizing Darkness to Light, propelling it toward success, and reinforcing its mission to equip and empower adults to build safe environments that protect children from sexual abuse,” said Board Chair Andrea Harner. “The Board of Directors’ appointment of Rhonda as CEO is a catalyst for renewed energy and focus on taking our training and programming to the next generation.”
In 2023, our team has worked to amplify the voices of survivors and individuals with lived experience while bringing countless communities and safe adults together through our prevention programming.
But our work is far from done...
We will be launching the asynchronous version of the NEW Stewards of Children® as well as developing the Spanish version of the NEW Stewards of Children®. These two mission-critical endeavors will allow us to create more opportunities for adults to be trained in Stewards of Children. Just think of that; the more adults who are trained in Stewards of Children means a greater impact on the lives of children!
We thank you for your past support and turn to you once again—because we have a lot to accomplish in the new year.
Your contributions, whether financially or through your time or expertise, have fueled our collective movement creating bright futures and a world free from child sexual abuse. By supporting Darkness to Light, you are furthering our mission and transforming the lives of children everywhere. Imagine the futures we can impact, the communities we can reach, and the positive change we can create in the coming year!
