June 29, 2015, Des Moines, Iowa – A recent gift of $18,000 from the Ottumwa Regional Legacy Foundation helped Children & Families of Iowa (CFI) provide critical services to prevent domestic violence, child abuse/neglect and adolescent substance abuse throughout Ottumwa and Wapello County.
The gift supported a CFI-convened collaborative known as the Community Partnership for Protecting Children. The collaborative is comprised of over 20 local community organizations and agencies that represent fields including education, social services, health, law enforcement, substance abuse services, mental health services, and faith groups. Representatives meet monthly to identify community needs and combine resources in an effort to better serve residents of the Greater Ottumwa area.
The Ottumwa Regional Legacy Foundation made it possible for the collaborative to meet community needs over the past year by providing funding for a variety of activities, including a week-long camp for youth at-risk of substance abuse and strategic planning for the collaborative. The grant also supported an innovative CFI program that provides parent education to fathers who are rebuilding their lives after incarceration.
“Now more than ever, it is critical that the agencies that serve our families find ways to work together and share both resources and information,” says Kelly Genners, Ottumwa Regional Legacy Foundation’s Director of Community Leadership and Grant-making. “The Community Collaborative for Protecting Children is serving as a wonderful example how this type of collaboration can be both efficient and impactful.”
“We are thankful for the generous support of the Ottumwa Regional Legacy Foundation,” says Amy Stapp-Arpy, CFI’s Chief Development Officer/Vice President of Development & Communications. “This support makes it possible for Wapello County’s most vulnerable children and families to receive the services that help them heal and live more productive lives.”
Grant Provides Critical Services to Children and Families of Wapello County
