#GiveToGain: My "Selfish" Choice Created a Safer Community

This International Women’s Day, the theme #GiveToGain resonates deeply with my work as a Rescue Coordinator. Often, people think of "giving" as a purely selfless act, but my journey taught me that when we give our strength to others, we are also securing our own future.

The Question of "Who is Paying You?"

When I first began organizing meetings to address child abuse and drug use in our LCDA, I was met with skepticism. In a community used to political handouts, many asked me point-blank: "Who is paying you to do this?"

My answer surprised them: "I am doing this for my children."

It might sound selfish, but it was the truth. I didn't want to have to move to an expensive, gated estate just to feel my children were safe. I wanted the ground I stood on to be secure. I realized that if my neighbor’s child isn't safe, mine isn't either.

Breaking the Wall of Silence

I spent months listening to mothers who were grieving but paralyzed by fear—fear of family backlash, lack of legal funds, and the isolation of the court system. To change this, we didn't just give advice; we gave agency.

By combining resources from the Child Protection Network and Drug Free World, we empowered these women to become advocates. We gave them the tools to be confident, and in return, the community gained a voice.

What became possible because of that choice?

Increased Reporting: Mothers are no longer silent; they are standing by their daughters and encouraging them to speak out.

A Watchful Eye: We now have a community that speaks up against abuse, even when it happens within a home and by birth parents.

Drug Prevention: We are working toward a reality where children aren't openly introduced to or engaged in drug use on our streets.

Raising Champions

We haven't eliminated the scourge of abuse yet, but we are on the road. One mother at a time, we are becoming more intentional about parenting. We are no longer leaving our children to social vices or oppressive masculinity; we are raising champions.

By giving my time to protect the community’s children, I gained the ultimate peace of mind: a safer world for my own.

#IWD2026 #GiveToGain #CommunitySafety #ChildProtection #IntentionalParenting #EndAbuse