The Center for Prevention of Abuse has received a $11,000 grant to continue building the children’s therapy program. (Photo courtesy of Center for Prevention of Abuse)

A grant to the Center for Prevention of Abuse for a therapy program that may help prevent or reduce future violence among teens and adults in the community is among more than $130,000 in grants being awarded this year through the Community Foundation of Central Illinois.

An $11,000 grant to the Center for Prevention of Abuse will go toward building on an existing children’s therapy program in the area of domestic violence, said Shaun Newell, the Center for Prevention’s director of marketing and communications.

“Our therapy program facilitates healing in children who have experienced or witnessed domestic violence and are suffering with trauma symptoms as a result,” Newell said.

Family members are also educated through the program about the dynamics of domestic violence and how to support children as they heal. Newell noted that kids who participate in therapy are more likely to have healthy relationships, perform better in school and avoid repeating the cycle of violence, which aligns with the Center for Prevention’s mission.

The grant will allow the Center to meet growing demands for therapy services, he added.

“Children’s healing happens more quickly and successfully if treatment begins early. With immediate intervention, the devastating effects of domestic violence and sexual assault can be reduced over time,” Newell said. “Children who have learned appropriate coping skills and non-violent conflict resolution become more successful students, parents, employees and community members, which results in a more peaceful community.”

The Hult Center for Healthy Living also received an $11,000 grant for a program called “Making Connections,” but did not return a call for more details about the program.

Shaun Newell, the Center for Prevention’s director of marketing and communications.

The $11,000 grants were the biggest among 28 grant proposals approved by the Community Foundation of Central Illinois’ board of directors during the 2016 Community Needs and Women’s Fund Success Grants funding cycles.

The grants support myriad local charitable needs and opportunities, including youth development initiatives, educational programs, workforce development projects and transportation of food for local food banks and pantries. In addition, the Women’s Fund awarded eight grant proposals totaling $23,287 to support the efforts of area nonprofits to empower the lives of women and girls.

The awards were made possible by 37 funds, including unrestricted and field of interest endowments created to support various community needs. Grant awards were determined by a diverse group of volunteers, each with a knowledge base of different issues in the community.

“The Community Foundation is pleased to invest more than $130,000 in grant support for programs that are making a lasting impact on the lives of thousands of people in our communities,” Foundation CEO Mark Roberts said in a news release.

Other Community Needs Grant recipients are:

• American Red Cross of Central Illinois: $5,000 for disaster services home fire relief.

• Carver Community Center: $5,000 for after-school programs.

• Crittenton Centers: $5,000 for Making Family Connections.

• EP!C: $5,000 for an EP!C HUB program called “We Can Work Too.”

• Friends of Wildlife Prairie Park: $5,000 for a Work/Life Skill through Aviary Science program.

• Glen Oak Christian Church: $7,000 for the Snack Packs program.

• Heart of Illinois Harvest: $7,000 for transportation of donated food.

• Illinois Spina Bifida Association: $2,500 for Community-Clinic Connection.

• Look! It’s My Book: $5,000 for the Look! It’s My Book program.

• Midwest Food Bank, Peoria Division:  $7,000 for its perishable food Program.

• Peoria Citizens Committee for Economic Opportunity: $8,000 for the Peoria Area Food Bank.

• Peoria Park District: $3,000 for the ELITE re-entry program.

• Peoria Playhouse Children’s Museum (of the Peoria Park District): $2,500 for Celebrate Peoria.

• Peoria Public Schools Foundation: $1,000 for the Horizons Club.

• South Side Office of Concern: $3,000 for its Supportive Housing – Happy Homes Project.

• TASC, Inc.: $2,500 for Smart Start.

• The gitm Foundation (Gifts in the Moment): $9,500 for the Good Food Recovery program

• Camp Big Sky: $3,000 for Living a Life Like Any Other.

Women’s Fund Success Grant recipients are:

• Crittenton Centers: $3,960 for Partners In Prevention.

• Common Place Family Learning Center: $4,327 for the Influential Women’s Group.

• Girl Scouts of Central Illinois: $1,000 for Girl Scout leadership experience.

• Girls on the Run of Central Illinois: $2,500 for Peoria Heart & Sole and GOTR programs.

• Hult Center for Healthy Living: $5,000 for Youth Reproductive Education.

• Peoria High School: $1,000 for Preparatory School of the Arts.

• The Center for Prevention of Abuse: $3,500 for HARTS–Helping All Relationships to be Safe.

• The Sun Foundation: $2,000 for Art & Science in the Woods summer program.

The Community Foundation of Central Illinois was established in 1986 by a group of community-minded citizens to meet a wide variety of social, cultural, educational and other charitable needs throughout Central Illinois. For more information, visit www.communityfoundationci.org.

— Program to heal young violence victims helped by Community Foundation grant —