May is Supervised Visitation Awareness Month.

It's not too late to plan an Orange Ribbon Campaign!

What is an Orange Ribbon Campaign? As a provider of SV services you have undoubtedly experienced that many individuals are simply unaware of the services we offer, sometimes only finding out when they are referred as a client! How can we raise financial support for our programs, or get referrals for services, if folks just don't understand what we do and how important it can be for children and families?

The orange ribbon is a symbol of supervised visitation. Supervised Visitation centers exist to provide a safe haven for children during parental visitation. What color signifies safety better than orange? Orange is a bright color used to warn people to watch out and take notice. We want the world to see the orange ribbon and take notice of the thousands of children and families in need of this service.

The Supervised Visitation Network, an organization consisting of over 500 visitation providers worldwide, adopted the Orange Ribbon Campaign in May of 2001. The purpose of the campaign is to use the symbol of the orange ribbon throughout the month of May (and each day of the year) to raise awareness about the need and impact of Supervised Visitation.

Get Started Today!

What is your focus for the month? Do you want to raise awareness, develop relationships, build community support, or reach that ONE parent that may need you and was not aware that you were available?

Start planning today

What kind of staffing or support staff do you have access to? Could you recruit a marketing class to help you with projects, find a volunteer, or request assistance from your Advisory Board?

What kinds of projects are out there that you could do to get your point across? What kind of budget do you have? If you are on a shoestring budget, will you be able to finish your projects?

Create a timeline for yourself. What can you do right now to prepare for May?

Where do I get the Orange Ribbons?

If you enjoy crafts it is easy to make your own ribbons, or you can purchase professionally produced Orange Ribbons on the SVN Products Page

Either way, it helps to attach a business card with information about Supervised Visitation and your local program.

How Can I promote Supervised Visitation Awareness Month?

The folks at Rainbow Bridge Safe Exchange/Visitation Center in Minnesota came up with some great thoughts and ideas on how to help launch your Orange Ribbon Campaign: