The Y Highlights Five Days of Action® to Protect Children and Promote Digital Safety

The Y Highlights Five Days of Action® to Protect Children and Promote Digital Safety
National initiative raises awareness about online safety for kids and empowers adults to take action.
[Fayetteville, N.C.—April 9, 2026] – During Child Abuse Prevention Month, the YMCA of the Sandhills is joining Ys across the country for Five Days of Action®, a week-long campaign running April 13-17, 2026, designed to raise awareness and inspire action to protect children from abuse, with a special focus this year on digital safety for kids.
Throughout the week, the YMCA of the Sandhills will share resources, host family activities, and provide education to help parents and caregivers navigate the ever-changing digital world. The YMCA believes that every adult has a role to play in protecting children, online and off.
“Technology is an amazing tool for learning and connection, but it also presents new risks,” said Jeff Darling, CEO of the YMCA of the Sandhills. “By working together and staying informed, we can create safer digital spaces for all children.”
In 2026, the Y has partnered with Praesidium, National Center for Exploited and Missing Children, Lauren’s Kids, and National Children’s Alliance to offer additional resources for parents and caregivers.
The Five Days of Action campaign encourages adults to learn how to recognize red flags, start open conversations with children, access digital safety resources, and take the official pledge to protect kids. Access these resources at ymcaofthesandhills.org/five-days-of-action-2026.
CHILD SAFETY
Chealsea Sias, the Y’s Association Youth Development Director, is a Certified Praesidium Guardian, a designation earned through a rigorous certification process focused on preventing abuse and strengthening safety practices within youth-serving organizations.
The training includes extensive coursework on abuse prevention principles, an intensive multi-day workshop covering topics such as identifying risk factors, recognizing warning signs, and responding appropriately to concerns, and a final assessment demonstrating mastery of these best practices. “As a Certified Praesidium Guardian, Chealsea is equipped to ensure that Praesidium’s gold standards in abuse prevention are being followed. Our Y is in the final stages of completing our association’s Praesidium Accreditation, which only two other Ys in our state currently have. We’re committed to child safety here at the Y, and hope others will join us in raising awareness during Five Days of Action®,” Darling said.
 
About the YMCA
Driven by its founding mission, the Y has served as a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community for 175 years in the United States and 104 years here in the Sandhills region. The Y empowers everyone, no matter who they are or where they are from, by ensuring access to resources, relationships and opportunities for all to learn, grow and thrive.

By bringing together people from different backgrounds, perspectives and generations, the YMCA’s goal is to improve overall health and well-being, ignite youth empowerment and demonstrate the importance of connections in and across 10,000 communities nationwide. YMCA of the Sandhills serves more than 5,000 members and 600 program participants through the Fayetteville YMCA and the Saleeby Family YMCA in Cameron. ymcaofthesandhills.org 
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