CWF awards $734,220 in grants

In its 58th year, The American Legion Child Welfare Foundation has awarded $734,220 to 20 nonprofit organizations whose mission is to care for the overall well-being of America’s most precious natural resource—children.

The grants were approved during CWF’s annual board of directors meeting in Indianapolis on Oct. 14. The following is a list of the grant recipients and what their funds will be used toward:

American Academy of Pediatrics of Elk Grove Village, Ill., helps infants all the way to young adults attain physical, mental and social health and well-being. The organization was awarded $12,180 for its project, "Connected Kids." This grant will update and enhance the content of Connected Kids, taking into account new forms of violence (e.g., cyberbullying) and new research on issues related to exposure to violence and toxic stress. The American Legion Auxiliary sponsored this grant.

Childhood Leukemia Foundation of Brick, N.J., educates and raises awareness and funds to support programs that benefit children living with cancer. The organization was awarded $60,000 for its project, "Hope Binders." The grant will produce and distribute 2,000 Hope binders to 200 hospitals nationwide. The binders assist families with the task of tracking and prioritizing medical information and costs associated with their child’s treatment.

Children’s Organ Transplant Association of Bloomington, Ind., provides fundraising assistance to children and young adults in need of a life-saving transplant. The organization was awarded $43,050 for its project, "Bowling for Life." The grant will produce "Bowling for Life" fundraising materials such as templates for events with step-by-step instructions, media releases, social networking tips, etc. The American Legion Auxiliary sponsored this grant.

CureSearch for Children’s Cancer of Bethesda, Md., funds and supports children’s cancer research, and provides resources to all those impacted. The organization was awarded $25,500 for its project, "Childhood Cancer Care for the Whole Patient: CureSearch Webinar Series." This grant will provide funding for three webinar programs to help families manage the psychosocial aspects for having a child with cancer. The Sons of The American Legion sponsored this grant.

Darkness to Light of Charleston, S.C., raises awareness about child sexual abuse and empowers people to prevent it. The organization was awarded $45,486 for its project, "Helping Military Families Prevent Child Abuse." The grant will produce and distribute 15,000 "sets" of child abuse prevention educational materials customized for military families to 33 Armed Forces YMCA’s in the United States. The American Legion Auxiliary sponsored this grant.

Diabetes Education & Camping Association of Huntsville, Ala., provides education and resources to help youth with diabetes. The organization was awarded $40,000 for its project, "D-Source: The New and Improved Website of U.S. Diabetes Camps." The grant will upgrade DECA’s website to improve member camps and the public’s ability to access online information about diabetes camps for youth and families.

Huntington’s Disease Society of America of New York, N.Y., is dedicated to improving the lives of people living with Huntington’s Disease, as well as their families. The organization was awarded $30,000 for its project, "Talking to Your Children about Huntington’s Disease Handbook." The grant will fund a comprehensive handbook to guide parents through the process of explaining Huntington’s Disease to a child, his or her peers and respective school. The Sons of The American Legion sponsored this grant.

Immune Deficiency Foundation of Towson, Md., provides accurate information to those who have been diagnosed with a primary immunodeficiency disease. The organization was awarded $48,500 for its project, "The Little Zebra – A Children’s Storybook." The grant will produce an illustrated children’s storybook that will help explain primary immunodeficiency disease to a child or his or her peers. The American Legion Auxiliary sponsored this grant.

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation of New York, N.Y., conducts research and provides resources on Type 1 diabetes. The organization was awarded $39,500 for its project, "Type One – The Teen Years." The grant will produce a DVD that will help teens understand the importance of maintaining a healthy balance of diet, exercise and insulin intake.

Mercy Flight Southeast, Inc. of Leesburg, Fla., is a group of 650 volunteer pilots who provide free air transportation to medical facilities for those who are in need of medical care, but don’t have the means or ability to get to their destination. The organization was awarded $17,394 for its project, "Project Outreach SE USA 2012." The grant will update and reprint the original Mercy Flight tri-fold information brochure that includes contact information to request transportation and provides an opportunity to donate to Mercy Flight and/or volunteer as a pilot or "earth angel." The American Legion Auxiliary and the Sons of The American Legion sponsored this grant.

National Autism Association of Attleboro Falls, Mass., provides assistance to those affected with autism through its many programs. The organization was awarded $58,000 for its project, "Big Red Safety Box Program." The grant will produce 3,000 safety kits to be given free to families of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The American Legion Auxiliary and the Sons of The American Legion sponsored this grant.

National Center for Learning Disabilities of New York, N.Y., is committed to ensuring that all students with learning disabilities from high school. The organization was awarded $45,000 for its project, "LD Navigator for Pediatric Healthcare Professionals." This grant will produce the "Ask the Expert" videos that will be included in the toolkits to help pediatricians and pediatric nurse practitioners serve the learning disabled. The American Legion Auxiliary sponsored this grant.

National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association of Seattle provides a voice for abused and neglected children who would otherwise be left to navigate the child welfare system on their own. The organization was awarded $40,000 for its project, "Ready, Set, Raise! I am for the child tools and training for grassroots activation." The grant will produce the "Ready, Set, Raise!" project guide with two toolkits for grassroots activation in local CASA markets. The American Legion Auxiliary sponsored this grant.

National Exchange Club Foundation of Toledo, Ohio, provides public awareness materials designed to inform and increase awareness of child abuse and how it can be prevented. The organization was awarded $24,530 for its project, "Believe in the Blue 2013 – What do I do when my child…?" The grant will produce 44,000 "What to do when my child…?" booklets, 40,000 tip cards, 26,000 "message" magnets and 500 posters. The American Legion Auxiliary and the Sons of The American Legion sponsored this grant.

National Marfan Foundation of Port Washington, N.Y., provides education and support on Marfan syndrome and is dedicated to saving lives and improving the quality of life for those affected by the disease. The organization was awarded $25,000 for its project, "KidZone Online Community Space." The grant will create and maintain Marfan KidZone, an online space that will make it possible for children with Marfan syndrome and their families to access age appropriate information and activities to help them understand their condition. The Sons of The American Legion sponsored this grant.

Our Military Kids of McLean, Va., pays for children’s participation in sports, fine arts, camps and more while a parent is deployed or recovering from an injury. The organization was awarded $60,000 for its project, "Strengthening the Our Military Kids Brand." The grant will produce and distribute a public service announcement and conduct a PR campaign. The Sons of The American Legion sponsored this grant.

Spina Bifida Association of Washington, D.C., was awarded $45,000 for its project, "Educating Children with Spina Bifida on Health Issues They are Facing." The grant will produce and distribute copies of the books "Detour Ahead" and "Another Way to Go" to support the needs of children with Spina Bifida and their parents.

SuperSibs! of Palatine, Ill., ensures that siblings of children with cancer are supported. The organization was awarded $16,210 for its project, "SuperSibs! SibSPEAK Website." The grant will fund the creation of a website for teens called SibSPEAK. The American Legion Auxiliary and the Sons of The American Legion sponsored this grant.

The National Children’s Cancer Society of St. Louis provides financial, emotional and educational resources for families that don’t have the necessities needed to support their child living with cancer. The organization was awarded $15,870 for its project, "Moving Mountains." The grant will provide an activity book for children age’s six to 12 with cancer and a pamphlet for college-age students. The American Legion Auxiliary and the Sons of The American Legion sponsored this grant.

U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation of Columbus, Ohio, protects and defends America’s wildlife. The organization was awarded $43,000 for its project, "Trailblazer Adventure Program – Blazing an Outdoor Trail." The grant will produce informational handouts, newsletters and an updated website. The American Legion Auxiliary and the Sons of The American Legion sponsored this grant.