ATLANTA, January 11, 2006 — The Arthur M. Blank
Family Foundation today announced it is awarding $1 million in
grants to six organizations working to reduce the child abuse
and neglect as well as improve the development of children in
the Atlanta area.
Created in 2004, the Better Beginnings initiative focuses on improving
the lives and opportunities of children from birth to age five
through partnerships with nonprofit organizations that are committed
to improving the lives of families with very young children. The
foundation’s partners will assist parents and other caregivers
in promoting healthy learning environments as well as acquiring
the financial resources needed to increase family assets.
"Reaching our children early is critical," said Penelope
McPhee, president of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. "The
services our Better Beginnings partners will offer families and
caregivers are the first steps in dramatically improving their
chances in life."
Organizations receiving grants from the Blank Family Foundation
are:
- Center for the Study of Social Policy - $95,000 to provide technical
assistance to Atlanta early childcare programs to enable them
to implement approaches based on best practices and protective
factors. The Center will facilitate a learning community; provide
training in protective factor strategies; and link Atlanta partners
to their national Strengthening Families network to share information.
- Prevent Child Abuse Georgia - $186,000 over 18 months to expand First
Steps services to parents of newborns. Through the First Steps
program, new parents meet with specially trained staff and volunteers
who provide emotional support, parenting education, and referrals
to community services.
- Quality Care for Children - $471,000 over two years to fund three initiatives:
- Play and Learn Groups, to give parents and caregivers an opportunity
to come together for two to four hours per week of facilitated
play and help children develop social skills needed during
pre-K and kindergarten.
- Emergency Child Care programs, to assist families in crisis by providing
access and resources for child care.
- EarnBenefits, a program that helps low-wage
workers identify benefits -- such as tax credits, health insurance
and daycare subsidies -- using online technology and then assists
clients with the applying for those benefits, to increase their
family assets.
- Sheltering Arms - $50,000 to offer EarnBenefits
screening, free tax preparation, and financial literacy services
to the families of children enrolled in eight Sheltering Arms
daycare centers in the city of Atlanta and south Fulton County.
- United Way $200,000 to support the Born Learning Campaign. Born Learning
materials give parents and caregivers practical information
and advice on how to help keep children healthy and learning
from the time they’re born. Materials include advice about proper
nutrition, heatlh and children’s sleep patterns. Local implementation
partners include the Black Child Development Institute, the
Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention, the Latin
American Association, Quality Care for Children, and Prevent
Child Abuse Georgia.
- YMCA of Metropolitan Atlanta - $50,000 to offer EarnBenefits
screening, free tax preparation and financial literacy services
to the families of children enrolled in three YMCA Head Start
centers and two YMCA pre-schools.
Formed in 1995, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation is focused on improving early childhood development, enhancing education, preserving green space, sustaining the arts and sparking collaboration among its nonprofit partners, primarily in Atlanta.
Arthur M. Blank is owner & CEO of the Atlanta Falcons and Georgia Force. He co-founded The Home Depot, the world’s largest home improvement retailer, in 1978 and retired from the company as co-chairman in 2001. Through his generosity, the foundation, along with Blank and his wife's personal giving, has granted over $220 million to various charitable organizations.
