OCTOBER 27, 2020
Fairview, N.C., October 27, 2020, Trauma Free World is an international organization committed to training people in how to provide holistic, trauma-informed care for the one billion of the world’s children who experience trauma. Thanks to a partnership coordinated by 5th Element, Trauma Free World’s mission will be amplified by a donation made by the SGN (Some Good News) community and matched by The Starbucks Foundation. Right now, that mission is being fulfilled alongside Signs for Hope, an organization dedicated to caring for one of the world’s most vulnerable populations, deaf children and orphans.
According to research performed by The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, deaf children are significantly more vulnerable to neglect and to emotional, physical, and sexual abuse than hearing children, with 50% of deaf girls and 54% of deaf boys experiencing sexual abuse. In addition, deaf children tragically often suffer severe language deprivation as a result of being born into hearing families.
“There are so many reasons why deaf children are limited in their ability to have natural communication with their parents or family members,” said Becky Lloyd, founder and director of Signs for Hope. “And that lack of communication and lack of connection is one source where childhood trauma springs from.”
Thankfully, there is always hope for people who have experienced childhood trauma. With love, care, and specific strategies proven to change the brain, the quality of life can be improved for those who suffer from trauma-related challenges.
These strategies form a part of the trauma training provided by Trauma Free World to thousands of caregivers in countries across the world. And it’s this training that is supported by the donation from the SGN Community and The Starbucks Foundation.
The donations to Trauma Free World were collected by The SGN Store, managed by Sevenly, and made possible by purchases of Some Good Merch. The SGN Store was created by Some Good News, a YouTube sensation hosted in its first season by John Krasinski. The Starbucks Foundation is matching those donations for COVID-19 relief efforts, up to $1,000,000, of which 100% goes directly to charitable organizations like Trauma Free World. This omniwin partnership with SGN, The Starbucks Foundation and their partners is coordinated by 5th Element.
And the benefits of this partnership between Trauma Free World and Signs for Hope go far beyond trauma training.
“We are creating video vignettes that will bring trauma-informed care to the deaf community,” said Jayne Schooler, primary developer of the curriculum. “These videos are invaluable, and have worldwide significance for the deaf community.”
