In 1978, 11-year-old Dianne DeVanna was returned to her parents’ custody, against the advice of social workers, after six years in foster care; six weeks later she was dead from heinous parental abuse. A horrified South Shore community responded by creating the Dianne DeVanna Center, dedicated to preventing child abuse, providing volunteer parent aides for at-risk families. Today DDC is an accomplished professional institution, a core provider of services to Department of Social Services families. Last year it gave 4,000 hours of basic pressure-relieving and helpful support to 49 families, including some nice “extras”—e.g., holiday gifts and camp scholarships. Prevention — making something not happen — is not simple, but when effective, it is always less costly than treatment (“An ounce of prevention… .”). DDC works closely with DSS and focuses on changing destructive family dynamics; for $4,500, the Center can help a family at home for six months, as opposed to $40,000-$50,000 for treatment in a residential program. For severe cases where intervention is needed, DDC is renovating and will soon open a children’s shelter, contracted by the Norfolk County Commissioners. If you want to help “make a difference” with people who really need it, here’s your chance.