PCA Council DeKalb

Over this past year, Destiny Erhardt, SCAN Prevention Coordinator, began working with northeast Indiana counties to establish Prevent Child Abuse (PCA Councils) and discuss the needs they felt were most important to their communities during the holidays.

In Dekalb County, Destiny met with the Children’s First Center and DCS to discuss what the county could use the most. Thanksgiving was again voted a priority as well as “Family Game Night.” Family game nights promote social skills, teamwork, and enhance problem solving skills, as well as decision making. And it also gives the family a moment to breathe and relax together! Roughly 200 games were provided as well as sides for a Thanksgiving meal for the families.

Dekalb County Parkview Pediatrics also shared with the DeKalb County PCA Council how they see the greatest need for expensive lotions in the wintertime. Most families cannot afford the lotions their children need when diagnosed with eczema. The PCA Council decided to provide Dekalb Parkview Pediatrics with close to 50 bottles of special lotions to take the pressure off the families. Their nurse practitioner cried when it was delivered! All of this work was made possible through the generous support of the Olive B. Cole Foundation to establish PCA Councils in northeast Indiana.