Refuge 4 Kids Prepares for Prevent Child Abuse Awareness Month

Local nonprofit offers support to families, hosts fundraising dinner on April 30

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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Refuge 4 Kids, a nonprofit in Madison County, Illinois, is gearing up for Prevent Child Abuse Awareness Month in April 2026. The organization provides counseling and support for families with children under 11 who have experienced complex trauma. On April 30, 2026, they will host their annual dinner banquet at Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey to raise money for their work.

Why it matters

Refuge 4 Kids focuses on early intervention, recognizing that a child's brain develops most rapidly in the first few years of life. By providing support and counseling to young children who have experienced trauma, the organization aims to help them rewire their brains and create new, healthier patterns. This work is crucial in a community like Madison County, which faces challenges like domestic violence, addiction, and gun violence.

The details

Refuge 4 Kids works with children under age 11 who have experienced complex trauma. Currently, about 32% of their clients are under age 5, and they have a waitlist. The organization hopes to intervene early so they can help children develop new pathways of safety and healing. To continue their work, Refuge 4 Kids is seeking sponsors for their annual 'Hope in Full Bloom' dinner on April 30, 2026.

  • Refuge 4 Kids will host their annual 'Hope in Full Bloom' dinner on April 30, 2026.
  • The Prevent Child Abuse Awareness Month kickoff event will take place at 9 a.m. on April 1, 2026, at Riverbend Family Ministries.

The players

Refuge 4 Kids

A local nonprofit in Madison County, Illinois, that provides counseling and support for families with children under 11 who have experienced complex trauma.

Erin Bickle

The Executive Director of Refuge 4 Kids.

Lewis and Clark Community College

The location of Refuge 4 Kids' annual 'Hope in Full Bloom' dinner on April 30, 2026.

Riverbend Family Ministries

The location of the Prevent Child Abuse Awareness Month kickoff event on April 1, 2026.

North Alton-Godfrey Business Council

A community organization that Refuge 4 Kids has recently joined to collaborate with other businesses and organizations.

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What they’re saying

“That's exactly our mindset and our belief for all of the children who are referred to us who are coming from really hard places. We want them to know that their future is filled with hope and that this community is behind them 100%.”

— Erin Bickle, Executive Director (riverbender.com)

“Our mission is really early intervention. Imagine, if you've got a child living in domestic violence or living in a home with addiction or in a community riddled with crime and gun violence, their brain is being developed in a really disruptive way. They're hypervigilant. They're constantly dysregulated. We want to get in because we know now that the brain has plasticity and we can change the brain and we can build new pathways of safety and healing.”

— Erin Bickle, Executive Director (riverbender.com)

“We just love that this community of businesses and stakeholders really make this event possible. The sponsorships take care of the entire dinner and then a lot of the money just directly goes to serving the kids, which is, at the end of the day, what people want to do. They want to provide hope and healing for our future...Connection is really what brings hope and brings change and brings hope in full bloom.”

— Erin Bickle, Executive Director (riverbender.com)

What’s next

Refuge 4 Kids is still looking for event sponsors for their 'Hope in Full Bloom' dinner on April 30, 2026. Individuals can also purchase tickets to attend the event.

The takeaway

Refuge 4 Kids' focus on early intervention and providing support to young children who have experienced trauma is crucial in a community facing challenges like domestic violence, addiction, and gun violence. By helping these children rewire their brains and develop new, healthier patterns, the organization is working to break the cycle of abuse and create a brighter future for the next generation.