Non-profits get $303K from license plate sales
Buying a license plate can help protect a child from abuse.
Ten Arizona non-profits working to prevent child abuse and neglect received grants this summer from “It Shouldn’t Hurt to be a Child” specialty license plate sales.
The organizations shared more than $303,000 in grants. Funds raised by license plate sales are matched with donations by the United Way and the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust.
The program was started in 1999 by The Arizona Republic, the Arizona Community Foundation and the Governor’s Office. Since it began, the program has awarded more than $9 million in child abuse prevention grants.
The specialty plate costs $25, with $17 going toward the grant fund and $8 toward an administrative fee. Plates can be ordered at servicearizona.com.
“The Arizona Child Abuse License Plate grant provides critical funding to support programs designed to prevent, and minimize the impact of child abuse and neglect,” said Maria Cristina Fuentes, director of the Governor’s Office of Youth, Faith and Family.
The competitive grants are awarded after a review by a community-wide group representing the newspaper, state agencies and community partners. This year, grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $37,000.
Southwest Human Development has received an “It Shouldn’t Hurt to be a Child” grant to support its “Birth to Five“hotline since the service came online nearly 20 years ago. The hotline, open to all Arizona families with young children, provides support from psychologists, counselors and other experts for parents in a pinch. This year’s grant was $37,000.
Other 2018 grant recipients:
Arizona Child & Family Advocacy Network, Show Low, $10,487: The Keeping Our Children Safe program serves the Navajo County family advocacy center. The center was established to provide a coordinated approach to cases of child abuse and sexual assault while reducing the trauma to children during investigation proc- esses.
Casa de los Niños, Tucson, $33,300: The Community Education & Outreach program provides free parenting classes designed to support families with diverse backgrounds such as: families where one parent is incarcerated, kinship, foster and adoptive families, grandparents raising their grandchildren, single or divorced parents and step-families.
Catholic Charities Community Services, Phoenix, $37,000: Parents as Teachers: A Comprehensive Child Abuse Prevention Program provides home visiting support to parents to build parenting skills, while offering help with financial, health and social services.
Chicanos Por La Causa Parenting Arizona, Flagstaff, $19,240: CPLC Parenting Arizona - Coconino CountyActive Parenting Program provides family support services statewide through prevention, intervention and treatment programs.
Child & Family Resources Inc., Tucson, $37,000: The Maricopa Center for Adolescent Parents program is open to young parents ages 16 to 23. Parents are able to earn their High School Equivalency Diploma while their child is being cared for at a free child care center provided by the organization.
Healthy Families, Phoenix, $27,977: Verde Valley Medical Center’s Healthy Families program offers voluntary home visitation services, community resources, health care, childcare, and housing to families.
HealthySteps, Flagstaff, $34,554: Flagstaff Medical Center’s HealthySteps program will collaborate with five additional FMC departments to provide Child Abuse Prevention & Paternal PeriNatal Depression programs.
Maggie’s Place, Phoenix, $29,600: Their Strengthening Families program provides houses, food and clothing for pregnant and parenting women in need. The program also connects women to agencies and resources including prenatal care, health insurance, low-cost housing, and education programs.
Prevent Child Abuse Arizona, Prescott Valley, $37,000: The first grant is for its Never Shake a Baby Arizona program which provides parents information and skills to prevent shaken baby syndrome.