Local officials and community leaders will kick off National Child Abuse Prevention Month and the Marion County Child Abuse Prevention Team s Paint the Town Blue campaign with a car parade Friday morning through downtown Salem.
April is a time when blue ribbons and pinwheels are displayed locally as part of a nationwide promotion to increase awareness of child abuse.
Five children die every day from abuse and neglect in the United States. In Oregon, there were 13,674 founded cases of abuse and neglect in 2019. Of those, 1,238 were in Marion County.
In past years, kickoff events have been held on the steps of the state Capitol and outside Marion County Courthouse. Last year, because of COVID-19, there was no event.