Volunteers of America Honors Programs Dedicated to Building Stronger Families
Eighth-Annual Volunteers of America/Annie E. Casey Foundation Family Strengthening Awards Presented in Seattle
For Immediate Release:
Contact: David Burch
Volunteers of America
(703) 341-5054 or dburch@voa.org
SEATTLE, Wash., June 7, 2010 – Volunteers of America of Indiana was presented with the eighth-annual Volunteers of America/Annie E. Casey Foundation Family Strengthening Award on June 7 in recognition of its work to build stronger families and end the cycle of intergenerational poverty.
Based in Indianapolis, Volunteers of America of Indiana received a $20,000 award in recognition of its programs, practices and policies aimed at improving child well-being by strengthening entire families. The award is new this year, raising up one local Volunteers of America office that supports it client and staff families through six agency wide domains: leadership commitment, financial commitment, human resources policies, community leadership, program implementation and financial education.
Volunteers of America of Indiana is a leader in offender re-entry, prison-impacted families and trauma-informed services in the state, which play key roles in their family strengthening efforts. Volunteers of America Indiana has embraced the family strengthening mission in a variety of ways ranging from altering their strategic plan to reallocating existing funds and raising new ones to ensure that incarcerated mothers and fathers have every opportunity to reconnect with their children.
Also this year, two additional Volunteers of America local offices received $5,000 honorable mentions for their family strengthening initiatives.
Volunteers of America of Kentucky was recognized for their outstanding investment in staff through an extensive training program that helps staff advance in their careers and strengthen their families by increasing skills and opportunities for promotion. Volunteers of America Minnesota was recognized for its commitment to bringing families into the fold of resident treatment services that ensure participants are not treated in isolation. Services are provided not only to program participants, but to family members with unmet needs as well.
For nearly 60 years, The Annie E. Casey Foundation has worked to build better futures for disadvantaged children and their families in the United States. Volunteers of America has partnered with the foundation since 2002. Both organizations hold a shared vision that “children will do well when parents do well, and parents do well when they live in supportive communities.”
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About Volunteers of America
Volunteers of America is a national, nonprofit, faith-based organization dedicated to helping those in need live healthy, safe and productive lives. Since 1896, our ministry of service has supported and empowered America's most vulnerable groups, including seniors, people with disabilities, at-risk youth, men and women returning from prison, homeless individuals and families, those recovering from addictions and many others. Through hundreds of human service programs, including housing and healthcare, Volunteers of America helps more than 2 million people in over 400 communities. We offer a variety of services for older Americans, in particular, that allow them to maintain their independence and quality of life – everything from an occasional helping hand to full-time care. Our work touches the mind, body, heart and ultimately the spirit of those we serve, integrating our deep compassion with highly effective programs and services.
