About 31% of local households have children under the age
of 18 living with them. The average household size is 2.43 persons and the average family size is 3 persons.

Overall, about 24% of the population is under the age of 18. That adds up to approximately 57,250 children living within Kalamazoo County.

Child Poverty

Children in Kalamazoo County are twice as likely to live in poverty than are adults. According to the latest census, 12.3% of local children live in poverty.

Race and Ethnicity

About 85% of Kalamazoo County residents are Caucasian. African-Americans comprise 9.7% of the population, followed by 2.6% Latino, 1.3% Native American and 1.8% Asian. English is the primary language for 94% of the population and Spanish is the primary language for 3%.

Geographic Area and Population Density

Kalamazoo County has an area of 580 square miles, which is about 25 times larger than Manhattan Island in New York City. Put another way, Kalamazoo County is about four times larger, in area, than the city of Detroit proper.

The population density of Kalamazoo County is 425 people per square mile.The city of Kalamazoo proper has a population of about 77,000 and the city's population density is 3,125 people per square mile.

Simply put, our mission is to prevent child abuse and neglect before it happens. Each year, we work with hundreds of volunteers and many partner organizations to fulfill that mission. Our geographic service area is Kalamazoo County, Michigan, where 238,000 people and 58,000 families live today.

Statement of Philosophy

The future of our society is dependent upon our children and their opportunity to fulfill their potential. We have a moral commitment to be involved in that process. We have a duty to take an active stance and be innovative in fulfillment of this mission.

Mission Statement

The Kalamazoo County Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Council (Kalamazoo CAN) envisions an involved and informed community where all children live free from abuse and neglect. To carryout the mission, CAN will educate community members and advocate for the prevention of child abuse and neglect.

Why It Matters

Every day, on average, 13 new cases of child abuse and neglect are reported in Kalamazoo County.
One-fourth of those cases demand immediate intervention. That translates into 1,140 confirmed and serious cases each year, throughout our area.

Many more cases are never reported. Who’s affected? Boys and girls, teens and toddlers – even babies. All races and ethnic groups, from the inner city to affluent suburbs. We know that children who are abused or neglected continue to suffer, even long after the abuse has stopped. Consider these facts:

• Nearly 80% of abuse victims develop serious psychiatric disorders by age 21, such as depression, chronic anxiety, eating disorders and PTSD.
• Victims of child abuse are almost four times more likely to become drug addicts or alcoholics.
• More than 36% of all women and 14% of all men in prison were abused as children.
• Some abused children become abusers themselves later in life, continuing a cycle of pain.

For all these reasons, preventing abuse now is key to solving this very real and growing problem. You can help by becoming a Kalamazoo CAN member today. To learn how, please click here now.

We believe that adults have a special responsibility to protect children from harm.

How We Fulfill Our Mission

Preventing child abuse is a never-ending responsibility. Our work is focused on five primary areas:

1. Teaching children how to be safe and when to ask for help.
2. Teaching parents how to spot the danger signs of abuse or neglect, and how to respond to it.
3. Training mandated responders, such as teachers, nurses and police, so they can identify abuse and report it quickly.
4. Educating the general public by distributing literature, holding public forums, and participating in a wide range of other outreach activities throughout the year.
5. Advocating for children in close cooperation with other community organizations and government agencies.

To learn more about us, please click here now. Or click on one of the links at the top of this page.

How to Become a Member

Join us in this ongoing campaign to prevent child abuse in Kalamazoo County. One of the best ways to start is by becoming a member of Kalamazoo CAN. Student memberships are just $10 per year and individual memberships are just $25 per year. You can also purchase a gift membership on behalf of someone you love or admire. Memorials in any amount are available on request. (Learn more.)

All new members receive a free resource booklet, membership card, bumper sticker and newsletter subscription. Members are also invited to special (optional) events throughout the year. Best of all, you’ll be helping to prevent child abuse and neglect in our local community.

To purchase your membership today using a major credit card, please click here now. You may also use our handy mail-in form is you prefer to purchase a membership via mail. To learn more about Kalamazoo CAN, explore the many links on this website. Or call our office at (269) 552-4430. Welcome!