The Riedel Foundation has awarded an $8,000 grant to the CHART Teen Task Force to support its long‑standing work to reduce unintended teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases in the Hannibal community. The grant includes $5,500 for the 2027 Teen Health Fair and $2,500 for sexuality education and infant and pregnancy simulator programs in Hannibal schools.
CHART is the only organization in the area dedicated specifically to decreasing teen births and reducing STDs among adolescents. Since its founding in 1995, the Task Force has implemented evidence‑based prevention programs that have contributed to a 66% decrease in teen births across seven northeast Missouri counties, according to Missouri KidsCount.
The Riedel Foundation’s $5,500 grant will help fund the annual Teen Health Fair, scheduled for February 6, 2027, at the Admiral Coontz Recreation Center. The event provides teens with a fun, safe, and educational experience. More than 40 community agencies will participate, offering hands‑on learning about health, safety, and wellness. The fair also features incentive prizes, free food and beverages, and music from a DJ. In 2026, 724 teens attended the health fair.
The remaining $2,500 will support two school‑based initiatives in Hannibal Middle School, Hannibal High School, and the Hannibal Career and Technical Center:
- Sexuality Education: A trained educator will teach approximately 750 students during the 2026–2027 school year, focusing on pregnancy prevention, STD prevention, and healthy decision‑making.
- Infant and Pregnancy Simulators: A program coordinator will bring RealCare Baby infant simulators and Empathy Belly pregnancy simulators into classrooms, giving an estimated 250 students a realistic, hands‑on understanding of the responsibilities of parenting. These high‑tech tools help teens recognize the challenges of caring for an infant and encourage them to postpone pregnancy until after high school.
“These three projects have been successful in Hannibal for many years with the help of the Riedel Foundation, and the results speak for themselves,” said CHART Teen Task Force Chairperson Sandra Ahlum. “Teens who receive accurate information and realistic experiences are more likely to delay pregnancy, avoid STDs, and build a stronger foundation for their future.”
Riedel Foundation Trustee Michael Gaines said, “CHART is an organization that we have worked with for many years. It’s a program we believe in because we can see from the statistics that it works, and we trust that the Riedel funds are put to good use.”
The George H. Riedel Private Foundation was established to improve the quality of life in Hannibal, Missouri. The Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that strengthen the community, with a special emphasis on youth programs, economic well‑being, and initiatives that reflect the legacy of its founder.