Press Releases
ProKids Receives National Grant to Benefit Hamilton County Children
07/01/06 - (Cincinnati) – ProKids has just been awarded a $9,500 grant from the National Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Association. This money will be used to expand advocacy for abused and neglected children in Hamilton County.
There are currently over 900 CASA and volunteer guardian ad litem offices across the country. 154 of these programs received funds this year from a $6.1 million allocation from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), U.S. Department of Justice, as authorized under the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990.
“Each year, we face the nearly impossible task of choosing programs, among many highly qualified applicants, that we can recognize with a National CASA grant,” says Michael Piraino, CEO of the National CASA Association. “We are especially proud of our 2006 grant recipients, for their exceptional excellence and dedication to helping the abused children with their communities.”
Tracy Cook, ProKids Executive Director, says the funds will be used to help encourage more African Americans to become CASAs.
ProKids is a local non-profit agency that trains and supports volunteer CASAs (Court Appointed Special Advocates). After completing training, each CASA is assigned to a child. The CASA establishes a relationship with the child, investigates and watches over the child, and challenges the system to provide what is in the best interests of the child. ProKids’ vision is a safe, permanent and nurturing home for every child. For more information about helping Cincinnati’s abused and neglected children, call 281-2000 or visit www.prokids.org.