In 1985, Irene van der Zande was a young mother, a new author, and a community organizer. Suddenly, in the middle of the day, with people standing all around, she had to protect a group of young children, including her own, from a man who was threatening to kidnap them. Realizing that she couldn’t be with her children all the time, and that she wanted ALL young people to be safe, Irene gathered with educators, law enforcement experts, health professionals, martial artists, and other parents to develop programs for teaching personal safety and violence prevention in ways that are empowering, fun, and effective. Kidpower was established as a nonprofit organization in 1989. As Kidpower’s Executive Director and Founder, Irene is the author of many publications about protecting children, teens, and adults, including those with special needs, from bullying, violence, and abuse. Kidpower has served over 2 million people of all ages and abilities across the US and around the world.
Website: http:///www.kidpower.org
