For Immediate Release:
June 10, 2008
Contact: David Burch
Volunteers of America Honors Programs Dedicated to Improving Children's Lives
Volunteers Sixth Annual Volunteers of America/Annie E. Casey Foundation Family Strengthening Awards Presented in New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS - Volunteers of America, one of the nation's oldest and largest human services organizations, presented its sixth annual Volunteers of Amerca/Annie E. Casey Foundation Family Strengthening Awards today to three programs dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing holistic services to families.
The awarded programs all work toward, improving child well-being through strengthening the entire family. The physical, social, emotional, spiritual and financial needs of both parents and children are met through these exceptional programs. Each winner receives a $20,000 award.
This year's Volunteers of America/Annie E. Casey Foundation Family Strengthening Award winners are:
· Volunteers of America Dakotas - Adolescent Treatment Programs, Sioux Falls, S.D.: Volunteers of America Dakotas’ Adolescent Treatment Programs in Sioux Falls, S.D., offer a holistic health model of addiction, relational theory and culturally competent services for pregnant, parenting and single youth. This continuum of care wraps around whole families to strengthen recovery, sobriety and family reunification. Key elements of care include integrated mental health and substance abuse treatment, specialized services for teen parents and their children, intensive focus on culturally competent Native American treatment, family support groups, spirituality and healing, relapse prevention and aftercare.
· Volunteers of America of Western New York - Family Partnership Program, Rochester, N.Y.: Volunteers of America of Western New York’s Family Partnership Program in Rochester, N.Y., provides a continuum of support services for parents of children who attend Volunteers of America’s Children’s Center child care programs. All families have a dedicated family service provider who visits their home quarterly and provides case management services. Services for families include connection to GED and training programs, homelessness intervention services, life skills and financial training, parenting support groups, telemedicine, and access to other medical assessments and family activities.
· Volunteers of America of Texas: The McGovern Campus Women’s Treatment Program, Houston, Texas: Volunteers of America of Texas’ McGovern Campus programs in Houston, treat chemically dependent women in home-like settings while allowing them to keep custody of their children. This program provides gender specific treatment that integrates mental health, substance abuse and trauma services. The goal of treatment is to help women resume their roles as healthy heads of households and alleviate the associated problems of addiction, including child abuse/neglect, homelessness and criminal activity. Children are served through quality on-site child care while mothers are receiving service.
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Volunteers of America is a national, nonprofit, faith-based organization dedicated to helping those in need rebuild their lives and reach their full potential. Through thousands of human service programs, including housing and healthcare, Volunteers of America helps more than 2 million people in over 400 communities. Since 1896, our ministry of service has supported and empowered America's most vulnerable groups, including at-risk youth, the frail elderly, men and women returning from prison, homeless individuals and families, people with disabilities, and those recovering from addictions. Our work touches the mind, body, heart-and ultimately the spirit-of those we serve, integrating our deep compassion with highly effective programs and services. For more information about Volunteers of America, visit http://www.volunteersofamerica.org/.