Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 23, 1995 TAG: 9503230053
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LESLIE TAYLOR STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
They tend to lack self-esteem, self-awareness and knowledge about their sexuality, said Phebe Cress, coordinator for the coalition of service and health agencies that help substance-abusing or at-risk pregnant women and mothers of infants. They "come from some pretty damaged backgrounds," she said.
This year, Project Link introduced a program to help clients develop communication skills, improve their self-esteem and learn about sexuality and safe sex. Called "Time Out for Me," the eight-week program will graduate its first class next week.
The program has been helped by a $1,250 grant from the Foundation for Roanoke Valley.
Project Link is one of 11 organizations that have received a combined $15,000 in grants from the foundation. All of the organizations provide human or educational services to valley residents.
The foundation announced the grants last week, though some were distributed almost a month ago.
The foundation "has chosen to focus on meeting the needs of young children, from before birth to age 6," said Alan Ronk, the foundation's executive director. "All of these grants had some relation to that focus. They emphasized early childhood development and support of youth issues. Or they were a subset of that issue, translating to better care for children."
Grant recipients include:
Council of Community Services, which received $1,000 to conduct a series of workshops for day-care providers on children's nutritional needs.
Bethany Hall, a recovery home for women, which received $1,000 to provide group and individual parenting-skills sessions for clients.
The Summer Enrichment Program, which will use a $1,000 grant to support a summer outreach program for children living in the Hurt Park community.
WBRA-TV, which received $1,000 to help underwrite a series of medical talk-show programs on children's health issues, hosted by Roanoke-area doctors.
The foundation, created in 1988, works to pool bequests, trust funds and other donations to support projects in social services, education and other causes in the Roanoke Valley. With 19 named endowment funds, the foundation has permanent endowment assets of more than $3 million.
"We're seeing a fairly dramatic increase in our ability to make grants," Ronk said.
by CNB