Two programs that help at-risk children will be able train more volunteers with the help of recent grants from Hannibal’s Riedel Foundation.
The Riedel Board of Trustees awarded $3,160 to the Foster Grandparent program and $1,490 to CASA. Those programs are led by Douglass Community Services.
The Foster Grandparent program trains low-income senior adults to be one-on-one classroom mentors to at-risk children. The funding will provide training for 11 new foster grandparents in Hannibal.
The Court-Appointed Special Advocates program (CASA) provides volunteer advocacy for children and youth who have experienced abuse or neglect so they can have a safe, permanent home and the opportunity to thrive. The Riedel grant will train five new CASA volunteers in Hannibal.
“Youth programs are major benefactors of Riedel grants,” said Trustee April Baldwin. “These are two unique programs that help at-risk children have the tools they need to succeed.”
Douglass Chief Development Officer Stacy Nicholas said, “The Foster Grandparent Program and CASA show proven results in the lives of at-risk children. At the same time, they enrich the lives of the volunteers who support them. The Riedel grants will train those volunteers to give children the support they need to thrive.”
The Riedel Foundation has awarded more than six million in grants to Hannibal nonprofit groups since it was founded in 2000.
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