April 6, 2020 • 16 mins
April is Child Abuse Awareness Month. Brandon and Sebastian talk to Karina Pavone the Director of Amigos For Kids about the importance of supporting the organization and educating others on this topic. Learn more on our latest podcast
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Are You Kidding? Podcasts? I can listen with
my kids with brothers Sebastian and Brandon Martinez, who are
kids Helping kids. Okay, And today we have a very
special guest from an organization that we are very proud
to be supporting. We would like to introduce to everyone
Karina Pavone, the executive director for Amingos for Kids. Hi, Karina,
(00:24):
how are you doing? I'm good. Thank you guys for
having me. They're very excited. I'm a big fan of yours.
Well we know well, oh wait, I can't talk today.
We know a lot about what you do and how
amazing and the impact it has on other children. So
why don't you tell us about the mission for me
go for Kids? Okay? So, the mission of Amaingos is
(00:47):
to prevent how the abuse and neglect, and we do
that through programs that kids help, keep kids safe, and
teach parents how to have better relationships with their kids
who are parenting class. We also help families that don't
have a lot of money by making sure that their
kids have backpacks filled with school supplies before they started
(01:08):
clear and that they get nice kids for the holidays
during the holiday months, and we we really can't do
this work alone. We do it with the help of
very generous people who donate their time as volunteers, money,
and items, and we also get lots of help from
places like the Children's Trust, Miami Dade County, and the
City of Miami. That is amazing. It does a lot
(01:31):
of a lot of things for kids, helping them, Like emotionally,
I feel like it helps them a lot because they
might be going through something bringing them down and you
just help them rise. You're just lifting their spirits and us.
That's amazing what you guys are doing. Yeah, we we
want to make sure that kids have a safe place
to be after school. Um, So we have an amazing
(01:54):
after school program where they do lots on activities and
we take them on field trips, and we want to
make sure that mom and dads are well prepared to
handle stressors and conflicts when they come up. So we
do classes to them to help them keep to teach
them to be better parents. We feel like this is
(02:14):
a very difficult subject to teach and educate kids on.
So how do you guys teach that may not understand well?
The main thing that we talk to kids about and
the main thing I want people to know about child
abuse and neglect is that it can happen in many
different ways. Sometimes parents or people close to a child
(02:36):
hurt their child. Sometimes it's strangers. But the most important
thing for children is to identify and take a trusted adults,
someone that they can talk to or tell when something
bad happens. And that it's not that secrets are not good,
especially not those kinds of secrets. And I also want
kids to know that no matter what, it is not
(02:59):
their fault, that they can't tell a trusted adults, and
that there are people out there that can help. So
how many kids do you teach? Wow? So we have
UM We have like over a hundred children in our
after school program, and of course every year it changes
because as kids grow out of up or our after
(03:20):
school program at the age of twelve, we get new
kids inn in first and second grade. And then we
serve like three hundred families in our parenting program. And
our parenting program is all over the county, all over
Miami Dade County and UM we also of course serve
(03:42):
hundreds and hundreds of families eight hundreds to a thousand
families a year with our holiday gifts program and the
same thing with our school suppli or back to school
program after twelve. Are there any other resources for kids
from our from Amagles for Kids, yes, or in general
(04:05):
UM and so from Amagles for well, Yeah, there's lots
of organizations that help kids UM, and we work with
all of them. Uh. We partner a lot with other
organizations because we know that their strength and numbers. So
sometimes there are things that we don't do or we
don't provide. We have linkages with other community organizations. UM.
(04:30):
We also work with UM companies that have really good
materials and curriculums to teach kids about UM, you know,
keeping safe. And so we work a lot with schools
and we go into the schools and teach kids you know,
all the best A fighting things to do to keep safe,
(04:51):
identifying a trust an adults, UH, saying no when something
feels uncomfortable. UM. So yeah, there's lots of organis stations
we work with. We are a big family in South Florida,
and there's lots of resources for kids, including education including
tutoring and help with homework which we provide UH, physical activity,
(05:14):
field trips, UM supplies for school like I said before,
and also help for parents. You said, how you do
a lot of schools going to educate kids in school,
but now that this pandemic is here and just normal school,
how are you teaching kids now? Well, us, we can't
(05:37):
see our families, We can't see our kids in person.
We are now using the different platforms that are available
like Zoom, like a lot of the schools are doing
where we're doing our virtual after school programs. So we
have our counselors connect with the kids virtually to do
(05:57):
all of the things that they well as any other
things that they used to do in person. So, for example,
our counselors to UM exercise with the kids virtually UM
to keep them physically active, They read stories to them,
they pray gain virtually, and they also do tutoring and
(06:19):
homework health virtually as well. And for our parents, we
still have us UM we call it our Virtual Parent Academy,
and we still have our parents in classes UH through
Zoom as well with them. So we're doing we're adjusting
to the new normal. Now everything is virtual, so we
can see each other again in person. Now that everything
(06:41):
is virtual, why don't you tell us more about your
virtual walk that you're having this year. Okay, so April
is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and we had a
ton of really great and fun activities plans for April,
which we obviously had to cancel because of the coronavirus.
So one of the things our teams thought about was,
(07:03):
you know, we're all stuck at home and um, getting outside,
getting fresh air, getting some fun and getting physical activity
is really important for people, and especially because it not
only helps feel physically, but it also helps people people's
mental and emotional while being too staying physically active. So
(07:23):
we thought, why not um do a virtual walk. You know,
in a regular walk, when you do a five k,
everybody shows up at the same time. We all went
together in a large group, but with a virtual five k,
you can do it anytime. You can do it at
your own page, you can do it on the treadmills,
to do it outside, and it allows people to have
(07:45):
an excuse or a reason to get some physical activity
and helps reporter get cost. So we came up with
this idea of a virtual five k I'll run walk
for the month of April to not only raise awareness
of UH that it's National Child Abuse Prevention Month and
having our prevention messaging out there, but also to help
(08:08):
support the organization, especially now that we you know, when
we need it the most, because our families need it
the most. And also to help encourage people get physically
active and keep their sanity while we have to be
quarantined and the hass Yeah. So, so what is the
most important message that you want to you want people
(08:29):
to take from the organization. So the most the most
important thing that I want people to take away, uh
from the organization is that, um, well, the first the
most important message is first, the way people can help
is at first, they can be a safe adults and
(08:49):
any child who needs help. Um. Also that people should
report child abuse and neglects when they suspected or see
it by calling the Childhood Use Timeline. That a hundred
nineties six of you, and I want them to know
that they can support our megals by going on our
website and donating or registering for the run and fundraising
(09:14):
and help support all of a really good program that
will provide for the kids in our community and the
family and our community. So that is the most important
message I want to take away. I want to talk
more about the walk, but I have one other question.
Do you find it harder for kids to open up
(09:34):
virtually since they may not be able to feel like
they be like able to talk privately. No, No, Um,
you have to remember is that we're transitioning to a
virtual environment. But we already have established relationships with all
the kids in our program that they trust their counselors
and their peers in the program. And also the parents
(09:58):
have the all of the trusting relationship with our counselors
and with the other parents in their group. So so no,
I don't think that you know, the virtual environment takes
from getting used to for everybody, But I don't think
that that, uh, that that interferes with you know, um,
(10:19):
the capability to be open or the parents ability to
open up about you know, structures or issues that are
happening for them. Where can people register for the virtual
walk but also get more information about the organization and
services you guys provide. So they can get more information
and registered for the walk by visiting our webs which
(10:39):
is www dot Amagles for Kids dot org. There's lots
of information there about the programs that we offer, uh,
information about the walk and also ways to help support
the arthentation. And we are excited to be able to
support Amigos for Kids with our are you kidding socks?
How would you want people to represent the stocks while
(11:00):
they are doing the virtual Walk? Should they post and
tige your page use the hashtag? Well, because we want
everyone to wear their socks proud and show off their support. Yeah,
so we do as well, and we're very excited to
have these amazing stocks UM. So the way that people
can use them to represent h M Eagles and show
(11:22):
support UM is by wearing them and making a video
of themselves walking. They can use to TikTok and they
can use the hashtag I did it for am Eagles.
We especially want people to post on social media and
tell everyone about the run about the fox and encourage
(11:45):
people to support the organization by purchasing the fox and
making their videos. We can't wait for the virtual walk
so everyone can come and support and make a great,
big cause. And okay, so what are your other big
events that le Me Go for Kids host throughout the year. Okay, So,
like I said earlier, in April is National Child Abuse
(12:07):
Prevention Months. So during that month when there isn't Corona virus,
we usually do many different activities to raise awareness about
child abuse and neglects. So we partner with the Miamis
Accounty Public Schools for poster contest and students in different
grade levels of art pieces around. They design artwork around
the phase There's No Excuse for Child Abuse, which is
(12:30):
also the name of our Virtual Walk UM. And then
a panel of judges selects winners and the winners received
gift cards and get to have the art featured on
our website and then on art gallery. And then also
as part of the month of Festivities, we do credible
pep rally with students from various schools in an auditorium
(12:52):
to get everyone really pumped up about being safe and
to know that child abuse is not the kid's fault.
So we have UM like burning from the Miamis come out.
Usually UH we have different presenters and we give the
kids gifts and UM information about childhoody is the neglect Um.
(13:15):
And then also in April wee and the months usually
with a walk at hotein Marti Park and we call
it Safe on Ingle's Day. But of course unfortunately none
of that is going to happen, and so that's why
we're doing the Virtual Walk. And then also in June,
we have this like super fund party called Miami Celebrity
(13:35):
Domino Night, and this party UH is is to raise
funds for our program, and the way that we do
that is through selling tickets for the event and through
auctioning donated items. Unfortunately, this event also have to be canceled,
which is why we really need everybody's support on the
virtual walk. And then, like I said before, during the
(13:58):
month of obviously we have a annual back to School
drive and we UH give away hundreds of backpacks filled
with school supplies to many families in our community. And
then in December we have our annual toy drive and
we distribute hundreds of toys are really nice toys to
ME families as well. We we have a blue ribbon
(14:19):
that we are we will be wearing in the month
of April so we can help start support the organization
and we hope to do our part raise awareness for
me Goes for Kids, And we are very very excited
to be working with you, and we just want to
thank you for being here with us and hanging out
with us. Is there anything thank you guys for having me.
(14:40):
Is there anything else that you would like to share
or do you have any questions for us, Actually I do,
why don't you? Um, I wanted to say thank you
for her allowing me to have this time with you.
It's been fun and I'm a big fan of your
work and I really love your or initiative of Kids
(15:01):
Helping cute, and I just wondered if you would tell
me a little more about it so I could share
with my son. Well, kids helping Kids. We we work
with a lot of charities and so we could um
raise funds and awarenesses for the charities that we worked with.
We work like Stand Up to Cancer, Big Brothers, Big Sisters,
you guys, and we work with them so we could
(15:25):
help make a difference and some of them are really awesome.
We just want to play your part in the community
and do as much as we can to help people
that are in need, because you never know one day
we might need help as well, so we just want
to be out there do the best we can. That's awesome,
you guys, Thank you for sharing about that. I really
(15:46):
appreciate it. Thank you so much. And one last time,
if you could tell us where we go to support
It's www dot kids dot org. Everyone makes sure to
go there and support and you go, so buy the
songs and just thank you for being Yeah, and you
can buy the sox your website as a why are
(16:09):
You Kidding? So that's right, so either either way. So
thank you guys for having me have a wonderful day.
Thank you so much. Bye bye, say tape guys, Bye bye.
You just heard Are You Kidding? Podcast with brothers Sebastian
(16:30):
and Brandon Martinez who are kids Helping kids
This is Are You Kidding? Podcasts? I can listen with
my kids with brothers Sebastian and Brandon Martinez, who are
kids Helping kids. Okay, And today we have a very
special guest from an organization that we are very proud
to be supporting. We would like to introduce to everyone
Karina Pavone, the executive director for Amingos for Kids. Hi, Karina,
(00:24):
how are you doing? I'm good. Thank you guys for
having me. They're very excited. I'm a big fan of yours.
Well we know well, oh wait, I can't talk today.
We know a lot about what you do and how
amazing and the impact it has on other children. So
why don't you tell us about the mission for me
go for Kids? Okay? So, the mission of Amaingos is
(00:47):
to prevent how the abuse and neglect, and we do
that through programs that kids help, keep kids safe, and
teach parents how to have better relationships with their kids
who are parenting class. We also help families that don't
have a lot of money by making sure that their
kids have backpacks filled with school supplies before they started
(01:08):
clear and that they get nice kids for the holidays
during the holiday months, and we we really can't do
this work alone. We do it with the help of
very generous people who donate their time as volunteers, money,
and items, and we also get lots of help from
places like the Children's Trust, Miami Dade County, and the
City of Miami. That is amazing. It does a lot
(01:31):
of a lot of things for kids, helping them, Like emotionally,
I feel like it helps them a lot because they
might be going through something bringing them down and you
just help them rise. You're just lifting their spirits and us.
That's amazing what you guys are doing. Yeah, we we
want to make sure that kids have a safe place
to be after school. Um, So we have an amazing
(01:54):
after school program where they do lots on activities and
we take them on field trips, and we want to
make sure that mom and dads are well prepared to
handle stressors and conflicts when they come up. So we
do classes to them to help them keep to teach
them to be better parents. We feel like this is
(02:14):
a very difficult subject to teach and educate kids on.
So how do you guys teach that may not understand well?
The main thing that we talk to kids about and
the main thing I want people to know about child
abuse and neglect is that it can happen in many
different ways. Sometimes parents or people close to a child
(02:36):
hurt their child. Sometimes it's strangers. But the most important
thing for children is to identify and take a trusted adults,
someone that they can talk to or tell when something
bad happens. And that it's not that secrets are not good,
especially not those kinds of secrets. And I also want
kids to know that no matter what, it is not
(02:59):
their fault, that they can't tell a trusted adults, and
that there are people out there that can help. So
how many kids do you teach? Wow? So we have
UM We have like over a hundred children in our
after school program, and of course every year it changes
because as kids grow out of up or our after
(03:20):
school program at the age of twelve, we get new
kids inn in first and second grade. And then we
serve like three hundred families in our parenting program. And
our parenting program is all over the county, all over
Miami Dade County and UM we also of course serve
(03:42):
hundreds and hundreds of families eight hundreds to a thousand
families a year with our holiday gifts program and the
same thing with our school suppli or back to school
program after twelve. Are there any other resources for kids
from our from Amagles for Kids, yes, or in general
(04:05):
UM and so from Amagles for well, Yeah, there's lots
of organizations that help kids UM, and we work with
all of them. Uh. We partner a lot with other
organizations because we know that their strength and numbers. So
sometimes there are things that we don't do or we
don't provide. We have linkages with other community organizations. UM.
(04:30):
We also work with UM companies that have really good
materials and curriculums to teach kids about UM, you know,
keeping safe. And so we work a lot with schools
and we go into the schools and teach kids you know,
all the best A fighting things to do to keep safe,
(04:51):
identifying a trust an adults, UH, saying no when something
feels uncomfortable. UM. So yeah, there's lots of organis stations
we work with. We are a big family in South Florida,
and there's lots of resources for kids, including education including
tutoring and help with homework which we provide UH, physical activity,
(05:14):
field trips, UM supplies for school like I said before,
and also help for parents. You said, how you do
a lot of schools going to educate kids in school,
but now that this pandemic is here and just normal school,
how are you teaching kids now? Well, us, we can't
(05:37):
see our families, We can't see our kids in person.
We are now using the different platforms that are available
like Zoom, like a lot of the schools are doing
where we're doing our virtual after school programs. So we
have our counselors connect with the kids virtually to do
(05:57):
all of the things that they well as any other
things that they used to do in person. So, for example,
our counselors to UM exercise with the kids virtually UM
to keep them physically active, They read stories to them,
they pray gain virtually, and they also do tutoring and
(06:19):
homework health virtually as well. And for our parents, we
still have us UM we call it our Virtual Parent Academy,
and we still have our parents in classes UH through
Zoom as well with them. So we're doing we're adjusting
to the new normal. Now everything is virtual, so we
can see each other again in person. Now that everything
(06:41):
is virtual, why don't you tell us more about your
virtual walk that you're having this year. Okay, so April
is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and we had a
ton of really great and fun activities plans for April,
which we obviously had to cancel because of the coronavirus.
So one of the things our teams thought about was,
(07:03):
you know, we're all stuck at home and um, getting outside,
getting fresh air, getting some fun and getting physical activity
is really important for people, and especially because it not
only helps feel physically, but it also helps people people's
mental and emotional while being too staying physically active. So
(07:23):
we thought, why not um do a virtual walk. You know,
in a regular walk, when you do a five k,
everybody shows up at the same time. We all went
together in a large group, but with a virtual five k,
you can do it anytime. You can do it at
your own page, you can do it on the treadmills,
to do it outside, and it allows people to have
(07:45):
an excuse or a reason to get some physical activity
and helps reporter get cost. So we came up with
this idea of a virtual five k I'll run walk
for the month of April to not only raise awareness
of UH that it's National Child Abuse Prevention Month and
having our prevention messaging out there, but also to help
(08:08):
support the organization, especially now that we you know, when
we need it the most, because our families need it
the most. And also to help encourage people get physically
active and keep their sanity while we have to be
quarantined and the hass Yeah. So, so what is the
most important message that you want to you want people
(08:29):
to take from the organization. So the most the most
important thing that I want people to take away, uh
from the organization is that, um, well, the first the
most important message is first, the way people can help
is at first, they can be a safe adults and
(08:49):
any child who needs help. Um. Also that people should
report child abuse and neglects when they suspected or see
it by calling the Childhood Use Timeline. That a hundred
nineties six of you, and I want them to know
that they can support our megals by going on our
website and donating or registering for the run and fundraising
(09:14):
and help support all of a really good program that
will provide for the kids in our community and the
family and our community. So that is the most important
message I want to take away. I want to talk
more about the walk, but I have one other question.
Do you find it harder for kids to open up
(09:34):
virtually since they may not be able to feel like
they be like able to talk privately. No, No, Um,
you have to remember is that we're transitioning to a
virtual environment. But we already have established relationships with all
the kids in our program that they trust their counselors
and their peers in the program. And also the parents
(09:58):
have the all of the trusting relationship with our counselors
and with the other parents in their group. So so no,
I don't think that you know, the virtual environment takes
from getting used to for everybody, But I don't think
that that, uh, that that interferes with you know, um,
(10:19):
the capability to be open or the parents ability to
open up about you know, structures or issues that are
happening for them. Where can people register for the virtual
walk but also get more information about the organization and
services you guys provide. So they can get more information
and registered for the walk by visiting our webs which
(10:39):
is www dot Amagles for Kids dot org. There's lots
of information there about the programs that we offer, uh,
information about the walk and also ways to help support
the arthentation. And we are excited to be able to
support Amigos for Kids with our are you kidding socks?
How would you want people to represent the stocks while
(11:00):
they are doing the virtual Walk? Should they post and
tige your page use the hashtag? Well, because we want
everyone to wear their socks proud and show off their support. Yeah,
so we do as well, and we're very excited to
have these amazing stocks UM. So the way that people
can use them to represent h M Eagles and show
(11:22):
support UM is by wearing them and making a video
of themselves walking. They can use to TikTok and they
can use the hashtag I did it for am Eagles.
We especially want people to post on social media and
tell everyone about the run about the fox and encourage
(11:45):
people to support the organization by purchasing the fox and
making their videos. We can't wait for the virtual walk
so everyone can come and support and make a great,
big cause. And okay, so what are your other big
events that le Me Go for Kids host throughout the year. Okay, So,
like I said earlier, in April is National Child Abuse
(12:07):
Prevention Months. So during that month when there isn't Corona virus,
we usually do many different activities to raise awareness about
child abuse and neglects. So we partner with the Miamis
Accounty Public Schools for poster contest and students in different
grade levels of art pieces around. They design artwork around
the phase There's No Excuse for Child Abuse, which is
(12:30):
also the name of our Virtual Walk UM. And then
a panel of judges selects winners and the winners received
gift cards and get to have the art featured on
our website and then on art gallery. And then also
as part of the month of Festivities, we do credible
pep rally with students from various schools in an auditorium
(12:52):
to get everyone really pumped up about being safe and
to know that child abuse is not the kid's fault.
So we have UM like burning from the Miamis come out.
Usually UH we have different presenters and we give the
kids gifts and UM information about childhoody is the neglect Um.
(13:15):
And then also in April wee and the months usually
with a walk at hotein Marti Park and we call
it Safe on Ingle's Day. But of course unfortunately none
of that is going to happen, and so that's why
we're doing the Virtual Walk. And then also in June,
we have this like super fund party called Miami Celebrity
(13:35):
Domino Night, and this party UH is is to raise
funds for our program, and the way that we do
that is through selling tickets for the event and through
auctioning donated items. Unfortunately, this event also have to be canceled,
which is why we really need everybody's support on the
virtual walk. And then, like I said before, during the
(13:58):
month of obviously we have a annual back to School
drive and we UH give away hundreds of backpacks filled
with school supplies to many families in our community. And
then in December we have our annual toy drive and
we distribute hundreds of toys are really nice toys to
ME families as well. We we have a blue ribbon
(14:19):
that we are we will be wearing in the month
of April so we can help start support the organization
and we hope to do our part raise awareness for
me Goes for Kids, And we are very very excited
to be working with you, and we just want to
thank you for being here with us and hanging out
with us. Is there anything thank you guys for having me.
(14:40):
Is there anything else that you would like to share
or do you have any questions for us, Actually I do,
why don't you? Um, I wanted to say thank you
for her allowing me to have this time with you.
It's been fun and I'm a big fan of your
work and I really love your or initiative of Kids
(15:01):
Helping cute, and I just wondered if you would tell
me a little more about it so I could share
with my son. Well, kids helping Kids. We we work
with a lot of charities and so we could um
raise funds and awarenesses for the charities that we worked with.
We work like Stand Up to Cancer, Big Brothers, Big Sisters,
you guys, and we work with them so we could
(15:25):
help make a difference and some of them are really awesome.
We just want to play your part in the community
and do as much as we can to help people
that are in need, because you never know one day
we might need help as well, so we just want
to be out there do the best we can. That's awesome,
you guys, Thank you for sharing about that. I really
(15:46):
appreciate it. Thank you so much. And one last time,
if you could tell us where we go to support
It's www dot kids dot org. Everyone makes sure to
go there and support and you go, so buy the
songs and just thank you for being Yeah, and you
can buy the sox your website as a why are
(16:09):
You Kidding? So that's right, so either either way. So
thank you guys for having me have a wonderful day.
Thank you so much. Bye bye, say tape guys, Bye bye.
You just heard Are You Kidding? Podcast with brothers Sebastian
(16:30):
and Brandon Martinez who are kids Helping kids
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