Businesses Go Blue for Child Abuse Prevention

April was National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and once again our Awareness Ambassadors stepped up to raise support and spread the message.

Awareness Ambassadors are part of the Center’s Corporate Partner Program. Throughout the year, these companies and businesses help promote child abuse prevention — boosting their brand recognition while making a real difference in our community.

This April, we were blown away by the number of businesses who signed up to “go blue” with special menu items, promotions, discounts, and awareness efforts. Together, we kicked off our new, year-long prevention campaign: Talk Early. Talk Often. Protect Our Kids.

Here’s how our Awareness Ambassadors used their influence to help our city start the conversation about child abuse prevention.

Blue Menu Items

Restaurant Ambassadors were encouraged to engage their customers with with blue menu items and specials — and the turnout was amazing. Whether they supported the campaign all month long or just on Protect Austin Kids Day, Ambassadors invited customers to participate through blue menu items, special promotions, and proceeds-sharing initiatives. Many also displayed campaign window clings and table tents to encourage customers to learn more and get involved.

Shared Proceeds

Many Ambassadors went above and beyond, not only raising awareness but also funds for the Center for Child Protection.

JewBoy Burgers, Phoebe’s Diner, Lupe Tortilla, Lucky Robot, Mañana Coffee, Mozart’s Coffee Roasters, The Roosevelt Room, Gelatoro, and Lick Honest Ice Creams all created specialty blue menu items — from blue cocktails, coffees, whipped cream, and gelato to blue cheese burgers and sandwiches — and donated a portion of proceeds. JD’s Market sold $1 blue cupcakes and donated the proceeds to the Center. Amy’s Ice Creams, Gelato Paradiso, Lee’s Kitchen also donated a portion of sales when customers mentioned the Center at check out, and Jo’s Coffee, TSO Chinese, and KESSHO donated proceeds from the sale of pre-existing items.

Every little bit helped, not only raising awareness, but funding services and providing essential resources for children and families impacted by abuse.

Awareness Specials

Other Ambassadors focused on fun, memorable ways to spark conversation.

BarleyBean, Taco Flats, Stargazer Bar, Amaya, Blenders & Bowls, Holey Moley Golf Club, and Royal Blue Grocery created blue menu items — like muffins, cocktails, and smoothies — to raise awareness. Blue Lacy created an entire April menu, including a bleu cheese burger, blueberry cheesecake, and blueberry milkshake, to spark curiosity and start the conversation. Others offered creative promotions, like Antonelli’s 50% off blue cheeses, Cabo Bob’s double card punch for anyone wearing blue on Protect Austin Kids Day, or Holey Moley’s $20 unlimited mini golf for guests who mentioned the Center.

Together, our Ambassadors created more opportunities across Austin for the community to encounter, engage with, and start talking about child abuse prevention.

Blue Lights

Beyond our Ambassadors, businesses with storefronts and large buildings were also invited to join our citywide show of support by lighting their buildings and business signs blue — transforming Austin into a beacon of hope for a brighter, child-abuse-free future.

Buildings across Austin went blue with lights, ribbons, and signage. Participants included Dell Children’s Medical Center, 44 East, 100 Congress, The Austonian, The Grove, Serenade, Sail Tower, Lucky Robot, the Austin Police Department, Travis County Health and Human Services, and the Governor’s Mansion.

And More

All Ambassadors and businesses were offered a variety of resources to educate and raise awareness within their spheres of influence. Partners hosted drives, posted on social media, wore pins, displayed window clings, set up table tents, handed out prevention pamphlets, wore blue on Protect Austin Kids Day, and even customized efforts to best engage their clientele.

U.S. Money Reserve and Gelato Pardiso hosted donation drives to collect high-need items for our Kids Closet. Austin Public Library set out prevention materials, and CapMetro displayed campaign placards in buses across Austin. BookPeople created an endcap display featuring children’s books about body safety alongside prevention pamphlets and educational bookmarks designed for parents and kids. BookPeople also hosted the Center for a Storytime read-along, where our Education Team read “No Means No,” “My Early Warning Signs,” and “My Safety Network” with families to help parent start age-appropriate conversations with their kids about child abuse prevention.

No matter how they participated, we are deeply grateful to every business and organization that helped share the message this April — especially our Awareness Ambassadors. They led the charge in advocating for children throughout the month, and their impact doesn’t stop there. Our Ambassadors will continue to amplify child abuse prevention efforts all year long, helping make Austin a safer city for children.

2026 Businesses That Went Blue

Interested in partnering with the Center as an Awareness Ambassador?