WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Dan Boren announced today a $299,186 grant for the Little Dixie Community Action Agency (LDCAA) from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Children and Families. The grant will be used for the agency’s project “Couples in Oklahoma Making Marriage Important Together”, or Project COMMIT. Project COMMIT is LDCAA’s Healthy Marriage Initiative which will provide marriage education services to citizens in Southeastern Oklahoma. The Healthy Marriage Initiative works toward the mission of improving child well-being through a focus on strengthening marriages.
“I am very pleased this funding is headed to Southeast Oklahoman,” Boren said. “Establishing a solid family structure helps give our children the foundation they need to focus in school and to learn the fundamental lessons of life. I look forward to working with Little Dixie in the future to acquire grant funding for these important education initiatives.”
LDCAA’s Project COMMIT will serve 136 individuals, or 68 couples and families, during the first year within Choctaw, McCurtain, and Pushmataha counties. LDCAA’s primary partner in this effort is the Oklahoma Marriage Initiative (OMI).
“We are very appreciative of Congressman Boren’s efforts on behalf of Southeastern Oklahoma,” said Randall Erwin, Executive Director for LDCAA. “This funding will not only provide these education services to our citizens, but it will also give our families the tools they need to create a healthy home environment.”
Project COMMIT uses two models for providing healthy marriage education services. Each model will teach crucial relationship skills including: communication, conflict resolution, commitment to marital stability, and parenting as it relates to marriage. There will also be provisions that eliminate barriers to participation in the project including: available childcare, transportation vouchers, and incentives such as weekend getaways for participants who complete the program.
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