About ACT

Alaska Children’s Trust is the statewide lead organization in the prevention of child abuse and neglect. It is our goal to ensure all Alaskan children and youth have the tools and resources necessary to grow up safe and healthy. We work towards our vision of an Alaska where all children, youth, and families can thrive through strategic advocacy, investing resources, generating funds, and convening organizations.

 

Our MISSION

To Prevent Child Abuse & Neglect

Our mission focuses on primary, upstream prevention with the goal of ensuring children, youth, families, and communities have the knowledge, skills, supports, and resources that prevent child abuse and neglect.

Primary prevention aims to prevent child abuse and neglect before it ever occurs. Examples of our primary prevention work includes advocating to change policies and systems that prevent families from accessing services, increasing awareness about the scope associated of the issue, and implementing programs supporting community focused interventions.

Family support and family strengthening efforts are key parts of our prevention work. By focusing on primary prevention, we are building parental resilience and helping children reduce exposure to and avoid toxic stress and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) before they happen. Over time, this will allow all Alaskan children and families to experience safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments.

 THE ISSUE of CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION

Why is this issue important?

Children benefit from strong families and safe communities where their needs are met and they are surrounded by caring adults.

Most children grow up with these supports, but unfortunately many do not. Each year in Alaska, several thousands of child abuse and neglect cases occur.

Thankfully, there is hope. Changing outcomes for children includes working for systemic change and advocating for solutions at a policy level, but it also starts with people like you, caring Alaskans who want to make a difference. At Alaska Children’s Trust we believe that it takes just one caring adult to change a child’s life. Alaska Children’s Trust provides the tools, trainings, and supports needed so that parents, partner organizations, advocates, and each and every Alaskan can join us to work towards a brighter future for Alaskan children.

Our Values

At Alaska Children’s Trust, we are guided not only by our mission and vision of safe and healthy childhoods, but we also are guided by values that matter most to us. Our values are what motivate us, what we stand for, and what guides our decision making.

 

  • Data is neutral information that is an essential tool in building the road map to true success.

  • Ensure the implementation of legislation that addresses the root cause of trauma and supports resilience.

  • Utilize resources that support efforts to address the social determinants identified by the data.

  • Poverty leads to many of the social determinants that create the environment that cultivates maltreatment. This strategy aims to improve the socioeconomic conditions of families, which tend to have the largest impacts on health.

  • Increase children’s access to more effective, equitable education, social-emotional learning, and life skills training.

 
 

35 YEARS OF UNWAVERING ADVOCACY

Our History

In 1988, Alaska Children’s Trust (ACT) was created with the mission of preventing child abuse and neglect throughout the state. Over the past several decades, Alaska Children’s Trust has transitioned from under the state umbrella to an independent 501(c)3 organization leading Alaska in this work. ACT has faced countless challenges, changes, and successes, but one thing has never wavered: ACT’s dedication and passion towards our children.

OUR APPROACH

Recent Work

“To accomplish great things we must not only act, but also dream, not only plan, but also believe.” — Anatole France

At Alaska Children’s Trust, we are committed to preventing child abuse and neglect. We know that accomplishing our mission will take more than just our actions alone; it will take creativity to find innovative solutions, community-building and strengthening families, and, most of all, your belief in us.

Learn more about our work in our most recent impact story and let us show you why our work is something you can believe in.

OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Theory of Change

In 2019, ACT’s Board of Directors and staff began to build a compass to help direct our work – a theory of change for our organization.

A theory of change is an intentional and strategic approach to defining an organization’s direction and intended impact. It acts as a compass and creates a road map, a structure that allows an organization to systematically ask questions and use data to determine how it will achieve its mission.

A theory of change is a framework that helps an organization achieve and maintain sustainability while staying focused on its long-term impact.

Acknowledging Dena’ina land

Alaska Children’s Trust acknowledges that our offices are located on the ancestral and unceded traditional territories of the Dena’ina People. Our work occurs across the entirety of the land currently known as Alaska and spans the territories of all its Indigenous peoples. We acknowledge this not only in thanks to the Indigenous communities who have held relationship with this land for generations but also in recognition of the historical and ongoing legacy of colonialism. Additionally, we acknowledge this as a point of reflection as we work towards dismantling colonial practices in our work to prevent child abuse and neglect.

Our Financials

Alaska Children’s Trust receives support from private foundations, government, corporations, and individual donors allowing us to work toward achieving our mission to prevent child abuse and neglect.

Alaska Children’s Trust has partnered with the Alaska Community Foundation since 2010 to manage our endowment. As of September 20, 2023, our endowment was valued at approximately $13.2 million.