The American Legion Child Welfare Foundation, in its 49th year, has awarded $338,700 to 13 non-profit organizations. These grants, determined during the annual meeting of the Board of Directors, held at the Radisson Hotel City Centre in Indianapolis, Indiana on Sunday, October 5, 2003, have been awarded to support worthwhile projects and disseminate information about them to the general public and specific target groups. The following is a brief summary of the grants awarded for 2004:
Advocates for Youth of Washington, DC was awarded $10,000 for their project entitled “Parents: Its Time to Talk 2004 Calendar.” This grant will distribute 9,000 It’s Time To Talk calendars to parents and parent groups across the United States. This calendar is designed to improve the sexual health of youth by providing parents and their children with a user-friendly tool for beginning healthy, productive dialogue about sex that includes information about abstinence, STI and pregnancy prevention, and decision-making.
American Humane of Englewood, CO was awarded $29,700 for their project entitled “Families Make the Difference.” This grant will disseminate over 14,000 copies of the publication “Protecting Children” free of charge to child and family-serving professionals nationwide. The Sons of The American Legion sponsor this grant.
Birth Defect Research for Children, Inc. of Orlando, FL was awarded $29,800 for their project entitled “Birth Defect Research for Children Family Outreach.” This project will distribute 500 Public Service Announcements to major television stations and cable networks, and provide information brochures, questionnaires, fact sheets and other items for parent follow-up.
The Center for Coordinating Action for Children’s Health of Naperville, IL was awarded $30,500 for their project entitled “CoACH Care Plans.” This grant will produce and distribute 20,000 interactive CDs to health professionals, educators and families who care for children with special health care needs to help them manage, advocate and coordinate their child’s total health care. The Sons of The American Legion sponsor this grant.
Connect for Kids National Foster Care Coalition of Washington, DC was awarded $35,800 for their project entitled “Foster Care Technical Assistance Bulletins.” This grant will fund the development and dissemination of a series of Foster Care Technical Assistance Bulletins to ensure the physical, mental, emotional and social welfare of children and youth in foster care by raising public, service provider and public official awareness of these young people’s unique needs and life circumstances.
EveryChild, Inc. of Austin, TX was awarded $40,000 for their project entitled “A Family for Every Child.” This grant will develop and nationally disseminate a multi-faceted, interactive training curriculum, A Family for Every Child designed to give more children with disabilities the opportunity to grow up in families. The American Legion Auxiliary sponsors this grant.
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation of New York, NY was awarded $35,500 for their project entitled “Why Me: Adjusting to a Diagnosis of Juvenile Diabetes” This grant will produce and distribute nationwide a 10-minute education video which will help children and their families adjust to the changes that come with a diagnosis of juvenile diabetes. The Sons of The American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary sponsors this grant.
Kartini Foundation of Portland, OR was awarded $18,400 for their project entitled “Diagnosing Childhood Anorexia.” This grant will produce a 10-12 minute video guide to aid in the diagnosis of childhood Anorexia Nervosa for distribution to pediatricians, high school health nurses, school counselors and parents in the Pacific Northwest.
Mercy Medical Airlift of Virginia Beach, VA was awarded $25,000 for their project entitled “Child Patient Access to Distant Specialized Medical Treatment.” This grant will disseminate information on the Homeland Security emergency Air Transportation System program services available to children, families and charity operations networks nationwide. The Sons of The American Legion sponsor this grant.
The National Children’s Cancer Society of St. Louis, MO was awarded $20,000 for their project entitled “The Mountain You Have Climbed: A Parent’s Guide to Childhood Cancer Survivorship.” This grant will produce and distribute 10,000 parent’s guide that will help bridge the information gap between medical professionals and caregivers and inform parents of the long-term effects of childhood cancer treatment. The Sons of The American Legion sponsor this grant.
PKU Action Group – University of WA of Seattle, WA was awarded $8,000 for their project entitled “Maternal PKU: Choices You Can Live With.” This grant will produce a fifteen-minute video on the impact of PKU on pregnancy for distribution to teens, young women and parents of children who have PKU, their health providers and PKU clinics throughout the United States.
Project OZ, Inc. of Bloomington, IL was awarded $31,000 for their project entitled “Animal Assisted Psychotherapy – Using Dogs and Horses to Help Children Heal.” This grant will develop a comprehensive curriculum outlining how dogs and horses are effective and successful therapeutic team members for distribution to counselors and therapists nationwide.
Toledo Children’s Hospital of Toledo, OH was awarded $25,000 for their project entitled “Injury Prevention Booklet for Children with Special Health Care Needs.” This grant will produce 35,000 comprehensive booklets on injury prevention and safety information for parents and caregivers of children with special health care needs. The Sons of The American Legion sponsor this grant.