Our Vision
Make Cumberland County a safe and stable community where children are nurtured and families thrive.
Our Mission
Educate, empower and support families so they are able to provide nurturing homes for their children.
Our goal is to help create environments for children to live in that are stable, loving and stimulating – at home, at school, at faith communities and throughout the community.
The History of S.O.A.R.
In 2013, a group of community members came together to answer an important question:
“What if we could create a system in Cumberland County that offers a suite of prevention and intervention services, including parent education and family support, for all children and their families?”
This group became SOAR, dedicated to ensuring that families and children can lead safe, prosperous lives.
On November 20, 2017, SOAR unveiled the Community Child Abuse Prevention Plan to the Cumberland Board of Commissioners. This framework includes six key action areas:
- Parent Engagement
- Community Engagement
- Data and Research
- Optimal Child Development
- Increased Family Strengths
- Responsive Service Systems
Who We Are
We are a group of committed community members working collaboratively to raise awareness and provide programs about child abuse and neglect prevention.
Our Assumptions:
- Child maltreatment is 100% preventable.
- Child maltreatment is underreported.
- Our children and communities are better served by preventing child maltreatment than dealing with the effects of child maltreatment.
- Prevention of maltreatment requires a continuum of strategies to make positive change. Child Abuse prevention takes individual, organization and community support and a strategic framework of programs.
2024 Initiatives:
Book Club
Held every 2 months: Members will read a book selected to expand our understanding of our mission and topics important to healthy relationships in raising children. Community members and parents are welcome to join.
Community Outreach
We are committed to attending community events and providing a display featuring information about SOAR and the agencies within our coalition.
Parent Cafe´
We will support and promote Parent Cafe´ events across targeted, diverse locations throughout our community.
SOAR Programming
Soar is committed to supporting effective, prevention-focused programs across our community. Some of our current offerings include:
Family Connects North Carolina: Southeastern Region
Providing support for families with newborn, including a home visit by a specially trained registered nurse, ongoing support, and follow-up until the newborn reaches 12 weeks of age.
Stewards of Children
Highlighting the '5' Steps to Protecting Children,' SOC teaches adults practical actions and how to apply them to better protect children from sexual abuse in their organizations; families and communities.
Protective Factors Training
Helps organizations work in partnership with families to identify needs and utilize existing assets to prevent child abuse and neglect and support healthy development of children.
Parent Cafe´
Engages parents in meaningful conversations that strengthen families by promoting protective factors, and affirms parents as leaders in a supportive, nonthreatening environment.
Triple P (Positive Parenting Program)
Provides parents with simple, practical, evidence-based strategies to build healthy relationships, manage behavior and prevent problems in the home.
