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Washington, D.C. - Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) today announced a total of $544,414 in federal grants for social service organizations based in Poughkeepsie and Highland to help improve child development and prevent violence and drug abuse among the youth populations. Located in Poughkeepsie, Families First New York will use its $300,000 grant to help support local non-profit organizations that are combating gang violence and providing alternative after-school activities. Child Find of America, a national organization based in Highland, will use its $240,414 grant to help estranged parents better manage their relationship for the benefit of their child.
"These federal funds will help locally-based organizations provide critical services to children and their parents to help create a positive environment that will benefit children academically, emotionally, and socially," Hinchey said. "We must do everything we can to invest in the well-being of children. Families First New York and Child Find of America are doing outstanding work to help ensure that every child -- no matter what their life circumstances may be -- have the opportunity to life a productive and fulfilling life."
Families First New York will use its grant to help sustain the long-term viability of local non-profit organizations that are working to prevent youth violence and promote positive youth development in Poughkeepsie. As the lead group, Families First New York will assist its local partners through technical assistance and training in four critical areas: 1) leadership development, 2) organizational development, 3) program development, and 4) community engagement.
Child Find of America will use its grants for its Parent Help program, which offers telephone-based counseling and mediation to deal with poor relationships between mothers and fathers that damage a child's healthy development. Too often poor relationships between separated parents lead to denied or restricted visitation for a child, which limits the emotional support a non-custodial parent can provide. The Parent Help program seeks to help estranged parents manage their relationship in a way that prevents a negative impact on their child.
Both grants come from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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