Grant to benefit child abuse and neglect prevention programs in Lake County

The holidays can be stressful on families, especially single parents and teen moms struggling to meet the needs of their families. A $35,000 grant from the Chicago Tribune Charities – Holiday Campaign, a fund of the McCormick Foundation, will provide essential support services for children and families in the Lake County area through child abuse and neglect prevention programs at One Hope United. The funds directly benefit the Wings and Healthy Families initiatives implemented by the nonprofit agency to assist new parents struggling with their family responsibilities.

“Through partners such as the Chicago Tribune Charities and the McCormick Foundation, our agency is able to deliver high-quality programs that positively impact families’ lives forever,” said Mark McHugh, executive director at One Hope United. “On behalf of the children and families served by the Wings and Healthy Families program in Lake County, and those who will benefit for generations to come, thank you to these organizations for their crucial support of our communities.”

The overall goal of these prevention programs is to prevent child abuse and neglect through positive coaching of at-risk families including first-time and teen parents. Parents who participate in the programs become more knowledgeable about effective parenting techniques, have greater confidence in their abilities as parents and are less likely to use physical punishment and yelling to solve problems.

In the past year, One Hope United exceeded all outcome goals for Wings and Healthy Families as monitored by the Continuous Quality & Improvement Research department at the nonprofit agency. In fact, 100 percent of families enrolled in the program implemented appropriate discipline techniques and 98 percent had no substantiated reports of abuse or neglect.

“The communities served by Wings have been plagued by poverty and domestic violence, which have increased because of the ongoing impact of unemployment, home foreclosures and spiraling consumer debt,” said McHugh. “Many of the major factors that lead to child abuse and neglect are even greater now due to these dire economic conditions.”

One Hope United notes Chicago Tribune Charities as one of the agency’s most valued partners in the fight against child abuse—contributing funds for programs totaling almost $300,000 since 1995. Chicago Tribune Charities – Holiday Campaign gives to One Hope United through the Family Strengthening category of its grant giving philosophy, which supports positive parenting, child abuse and domestic violence prevention programs through child counseling, family support and home-visiting services.

For more information about how you can help the communities of Lake County through One Hope United during the holiday season, visit www.onehopeunited.org/holidays.

About One Hope United

One Hope United is a nonprofit human service agency dedicated to protecting children and strengthening families through a diverse array of prevention, intervention and community-based programs. With principal offices in Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri and Florida, One Hope United serves more than 15,000 children and their families each year. For more information, visit http://onehopeunited.org.

About Chicago Tribune Charities

Chicago Tribune Charities, a fund of the McCormick Foundation, improves the lives of disadvantaged children, adults and families by funding programs that support basic needs such as hunger and housing, promote family development, improve the employment prospects of individuals, and develop reading and literacy skills. Chicago Tribune Charities has two primary giving areas: Special Initiatives and the Holiday Campaign. For more information, visit http://www.mccormickfoundation.org/communities/ctc.aspx.