RELEASE: May 22, 2001

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Twenty-six social services agencies today were awarded a total $729,403 in grants from the New Jersey Children's Trust Fund to support various child abuse prevention and family support programs.

"The Trust Fund is taking a broader approach to prevention nowadays -- joining forces with more community partners than ever before, and taking a holistic approach to protecting children and youth," said Department of Human Services Acting Commissioner James W. Smith Jr., who presented the grant awards in the state Senate Chambers. "This can be seen in this year's grantees, including groups who work with homeless families, substance abusers, victims of domestic violence, and people with disabilities."

Those groups administer programs such as parent education and support services, mentoring programs, and efforts to raise awareness about child abuse. The grants are awarded for three years, with higher funding granted to first-year recipients.

"I like to think of the Children's Trust Fund programs as building a shelter to protect New Jersey's families," said Acting Commissioner Smith. "Each round of grants adds another section, each grantee another row of bricks, building and building upon a structure of prevention. And with each year, that structure grows to accommodate more families and provide still more security for them."

The Children’s Trust Fund -- based in the Department of Human Services, and co-sponsored by the Child Life Protection Commission and the New Jersey Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect -- has granted more than $10.4 million to nearly 500 agencies since its inception in 1985. Contributions to the Trust Fund come primarily through a checkoff box on the New Jersey state income tax return.

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NEW JERSEY CHILDREN’S TRUST FUND

COMMUNITY–BASED FAMILY RESOURCE & SUPPORT GRANT RECIPIENTS

2001-2002

First Year

AtlantiCare Foundation, Atlantic City, NJ $28,000

PARENTS AS TEACHERS THREE TO FIVE, (Atlantic)

S.O.D.A.T. of NEW JERSEY, Woodbury, NJ $36,525

PROJECT P.A.C.E. (PARENT AND CHILD EMPOWERMENT), (Gloucester)

HomeFront, Lawrenceville, NJ $41,900

SAFE AT HOME, (Mercer)

Isles, Inc., Trenton, NJ $46,080

PEP (PARENTS EMPOWERING PARENTS), (Mercer)

Puerto Rican Association for Human Development, Inc., Perth Amboy, NJ $40,910

ME & MY FAMILY, (Middlesex)

Deirdre O’Brien Child Advocacy Center, Inc., Morristown, NJ $16,348

THE SUPPER CLUB, (Morris)

Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Council of Ocean, Inc., Lakewood, NJ $17,398

STRENGTHENING THE FAMILY, (Ocean)

Epilepsy Foundation of NJ, Brick, NJ $49,592

HELPING HANDS, (Ocean)

Association for Special Children & Families, Hewitt, NJ $ 40,638

CIRCLE OF SUPPORTS, (Northern Passaic & Northeastern Morris)

Eva’s Kitchen and Sheltering Programs, Inc., Paterson, NJ $32,000

HAPPY (HALT ABUSE IN PATERSON FOR PARENTS AND YOUTH), (Passaic)

The Arc of Somerset, Manville, NJ $17,462

SPECIAL KIDS, SPECIAL CARE, (Somerset)

First Year Total $366,853

Second Year

Cerebral Palsy of North Jersey, East Orange, NJ $44,744

REST (RECREATION, EDUCATION, SUPPORT & TRAINING), (Essex)

UMDNJ-UBHC, Newark, Newark, NJ $44,800

PROJECT ASAP (AWARENESS OF SEXUALITY ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAM), (Essex)

International Institute of New Jersey, Jersey City, NJ $22,968

PROJECT AN CAMPE (RISING TOGETHER), (Hudson, Bergen, Union & Essex)

The Arc of Hunterdon, Annandale, NJ $32,000

SMILES, (Hunterdon)

Family & Children’s Services of Central New Jersey, Inc., Princeton, NJ $44,000

FAMILY MENTOR PROGRAM, (Mercer)

Second Year Total $188,512

Third Year

Children’s Seashore House, Atlantic City, NJ $6,564

EARLY INTERVENTION PARENT EDUCATION PROGRAM, (Atlantic)

Spectrum for Living, River Vale, NJ $26,100

BETTER PARENTING PROGRAM, (Bergen & Passaic)

Dept. of Law & Public Safety, Juvenile Justice Commission, Blackwood, NJ $13,371

JEWELS, (Camden)

Princeton Center for Leadership Training, Princeton, NJ $26,453

PARENTS SUPPORTING PARENTS NETWORK, (Camden)

ARC of Essex County, Inc., E. Orange, NJ $20,236

FOCUS, (Essex)

St. Columba Neighborhood Club, Newark, NJ $19,050

GROWING TOGETHER, (Essex)

Family Service of Morris County, Morristown, NJ $10,663

EARLY CHILDHOOD FAMILIES & SCHOOLS TOGETHER (FAST)

PROGRAM, (Morris)

SCARC, Inc., Augusta, NJ $10,039

THE TEEN SCENE, (Sussex)

Phillipsburg School Based Youth Services, Phillipsburg, NJ $19,662

PARENTS-R-US, (Warren)

Reconciliation Ministries, Inc., Teaneck, NJ $21,900

TOGETHER INSIDE & OUT, (Statewide)

Third Year Total $174,038

GRAND TOTAL $729,403