FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Anthony Puglisi
April 17, 2008 973-621-2542
Lauren Shears
973-621-1590
ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO, THE NICHOLSON FOUNDATION
AND PREVENT CHILD ABUSE-NEW JERSEY ANNOUNCE RECIPIENTS
OF 2008 CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MINI-GRANTS
Nine Community Based Organizations Receive Resources to Raise Awareness
and Provide Education to Strengthen Families and Prevent Child Neglect
Newark, NJ – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr., The Nicholson Foundation and Prevent Child Abuse-New Jersey announced on Thursday, April 17th that nine (9) local community organizations have received mini-grants to provide parenting workshops and increase access to information to enhance the relationship between children and their parents, grandparents or caregivers. The goal of the program is to raise awareness about child abuse prevention.
The announcement was made during April, which has been designated as Child Abuse Prevention Month. This is the sixth consecutive year that the County Executive, The Nicholson Foundation and Prevent Child Abuse-New Jersey have partnered to award the mini-grants.
“The designation of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month helps us raise awareness about this tragedy that hurts our most vulnerable population and the lasting effects it has on our children, their families and the community,” DiVincenzo said. “I am proud of our partnership with The Nicholson Foundation and Prevent Child Abuse-New Jersey. Together, we are providing community- and faith-based organizations with the resources and technical training to spread the message of preventing child abuse and strengthening families throughout the year,” he added.
“Today is an example of how our government and communities are coming together to address issues and ensure our most precious resource – our children – are taken care of,” Senator Teresa Ruiz said. “The government works with the neighborhoods and the community based organizations are working directly with the families. We thank you for being our first responders,” she said.
“Children represent a rallying symbol in our community to make certain they have the opportunity to fulfill their potential,” Assemblywoman Sheila Oliver said. “Early on, our County Executive teamed up with the Nicholson Foundation and Prevent Child Abuse-New Jersey so we can move into prevention and ensure the innocence of our children will not be lost,” she added.
Ranging in amounts from $1,000 to $3,500, the grants will assist the agencies with implementing events or programs that address three priority areas: Supporting Young Fathers, Family Re-Unification Post Incarceration, and Supporting Parents/Grandparents. The agencies also will receive educational materials, training and technical assistance to conduct their programs and disseminate information. As a requirement for receiving the mini-grant, representatives from the agencies receiving the grants attended an in-service training about the New Jersey Standards for Prevention Programs during April.
“The goal of our mini-grant program is to provide parents and extended family members with the information and tools to strengthen family bonds and prevent child abuse and neglect from ever happening,” said Charles Venti, a consultant working with The Nicholson Foundation.
“One of the most effective ways to ensure children thrive is to provide parents with the tools they need to create caring homes and loving interactions with their kids. Our long standing partnership with The Nicholson Foundation and the Essex County Division of Citizen Services in offering these mini-grants will help to build communities that support families and honor the work that it takes to be a strong, capable parent” Debra Vizzi, Chief Executive Officer of Prevent Child Abuse NJ.
Organizations receiving the mini-grants are as follows:
· Stop Shootin, Inc. ($3,500) – The grant will be used to host a Father’s Day Appreciation Day to focus on the importance of fathers.
· Upper West Side Park Steering Committee ($2,000) – The grant will be used to support “When Fathers Talk – Bridging the Generational Gap in Fatherhood.” The one-day event is designed to reduce child abuse and neglect.
· Churches in Cooperation Inc. ($1,000) – CIC will host three forums for men to assist them in their role as fathers.
· Grandma KARES, Inc. ($3,500) – Support groups for caregivers will be held to help the caregivers “take care of themselves.”
· Harambee Community Development Initiative, Inc. ($3,500) – The grant will support fathering workshops based on the National Fatherhood Initiative 24/7 Dad Program.
· Newark Emergency Services for Families, Inc. ($3,500) – NESF will conduct outreach to single fathers and host workshops to provide them with parenting skills.
· Union Chapel Community Development Corporation ($3,500) – Union Chapel will host a sex education workshop for teens titled “Choosing the Best” and a parenting workshop targeting immigrant parents.
· Bright Horizons Community Development ($3,500) – Bright Horizons will host mentoring sessions for post-incarcerated women and their extended family members.
· Harry Housel People Empowerment Place ($1,000) – Three workshops will explore children, parents and grandparents interacting; children’s emotional health; and ways to help parents spend more time with their children.
According to the New Jersey Department of Human Services, they receive about 80,000 calls a year alleging the maltreatment of children and that 16 percent, or 12,800 calls, originate from Essex County.
“The partnership between the County, The Nicholson Foundation and Prevent Child Abuse-New Jersey is important to our department and our County,” said Essex County Citizen Services Director Anibal Ramos. “With their help, and by working with community based organizations, we are able to better assist families,” he added.
One of the first initiatives of the partnership between Essex County, The Nicholson Foundation and Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey was the creation of an Essex County Council of Prevent Child Abuse-New Jersey. In conjunction with the Essex County Department of Citizen Services, the Council has attracted Nicholson Foundation grants to bring programs and services to Essex County. These programs meet the rigorous principles of the “Standards for Prevention Through Family Support,” which was authored by the New Jersey Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect.
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