In The Valley, Press Release

KidsPeace Foundation Names Six Programs, Three Individuals as 2020 Winners of “Hope/ Help/Healing Awards”

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SCHNECKSVILLE, PA (November 11, 2020) – Training foster parents to capture memories for the kids in their care … bringing needed resources to kids and parents in innovative ways … ensuring that residential clients who demonstrate safe and respectful behaviors each day are rewarded appropriately.

Deserving projects like these – along with individuals who exemplify KidsPeace’s commitment to customer service — are being recognized by the KidsPeace Foundation Board of Trustees with the 2020 versions of their annual “Hope, Help and Healing Awards.”

The awards, which began in 2019, are intended to support projects and individuals that live up to the promise of the KidsPeace Mission – providing Hope, Help and Healing to children, adults and those who love them.  Potential recipients are nominated by their colleagues and team members; senior management at KidsPeace determines a set of finalists and the Trustees choose the award winners from that list.

However, in recognition of the extraordinary challenges faced by KidsPeace associates in 2020, the Foundation Trustees decided to give awards to ALL finalists in each category.   The decision was announced to the surprised and delighted finalists by Board of Trustees Chair Dr. Larry Bell and Foundation President Ann McCauley during a series of socially distant teleconferences in mid-October.

“Often, people who are doing great things don’t get the recognition they deserve,” Dr. Bell said.  “Our KidsPeace Foundation awards give us the opportunity to tell these dedicated individuals that they are appreciated for everything that they do, and personally I feel it is one of the most rewarding aspects of my association with KidsPeace,” he added.

Each winner will receive a $2,500 award.  The awards are fully funded by donations from the Foundation’s Trustees; the Kudos organization donated $1,000 to the 2020 awards program as well.

The KidsPeace Foundation’s Mission:  “We seek to foster enduring and trusting relationships with donors to secure resources to assist KidsPeace in transforming the lives of children, youth and adults in need of hope, help and healing, regardless of their financial means.”

 

Since 1882, KidsPeace has been building on its expertise to give hope, help and healing to children, adults and those who love them. Through its comprehensive range of residential treatment programs; accredited educational services; unique psychiatric hospital and foster care and community-based programs, KidsPeace is dedicated to helping people connect, transform and overcome their challenges to ensure a stable future, transition to adulthood and gain independence. Since its doors opened, nearly 300,000 children have participated in one of the multitude of programs KidsPeace offers.

For additional resources or more information on how to get involved, become a foster parent or make a donation, please visit www.kidspeace.org. Follow us at www.facebook.com/kidspeace.org or on Twitter @KidsPeace.

 

2020 KidsPeace Foundation Hope, Help and Healing Award recipients:

HOPE AWARD – presented to projects that build a feeling of optimism, hope, fulfillment or success for the people served by KidsPeace. 

  • “Hope Events for Foster Parents” – KidsPeace Foster Care and Community Programs, Merrillville, IN: A series of activities for foster families that provides opportunities for relaxation and fun while at the same time repair and strengthen bonding with foster children and improve the foster parent’s skills in dealing with traumatized children.
  • “Transforming Trauma through Hope and Empowerment”  – Sexual Issues Treatment & Education (SITE) Program, PA:  Creation of “resource kits” for therapists to use during sessions with clients – including therapeutic materials and supplies, to make weekly sessions with clients more productive in the reduction of trauma symptoms.
  • “Fill the Bus” – Community Living, KidsPeace PA Residential Programs:  Upgrade the offerings in the KidsPeace mobile “store” to be more attractive to those youth at advanced treatment stages, to motivate them to continue to practice safe and respectful behaviors as they work toward discharge from the program. (Credits earned by clients evidencing positive behaviors are used to “buy” items at the store.)

 

HEALING AWARD – presented to projects that are therapeutic, focused on our clients’ well-being and helps restore peace to the lives of the people served by KidsPeace.

  • Pre-Adolescent Playroom – Patriot Center, KidsPeace PA Residential Programs:  Patriot Center serves the widest age range of children in residential treatment at the Orchard Hills Campus – from 6 to 21.  The award will help create a separate space for younger clients to engage in age-appropriate play in order to support them clinically and therapeutically through their treatment.
  • Lifebooks for Healing – KidsPeace Foster Care and Community Programs, Merrillville, IN: a series of trainings and workshops for foster parents focused on creating and maintaining “Lifebooks” for children in their care.  The Lifebooks help children capture memories of their childhoods that can be lost amid multiple foster care placements.  While Indiana requires Lifebooks be created, the project will help foster parents engage their creativity and make sure the kids in their care have a true view of their time together.
  • Indy Resource Room – KidsPeace Foster Care and Community Programs, Indianapolis, IN: renovation of a storage area into a Resource Room for foster families – with books and reference materials on foster care, along with toys and sensory/calming items for parents to “try before you buy” for their child’s specific need.  The room will also serve as a safe and calming area for foster families when they visit the Indianapolis office with their children.

HELP AWARD – presented to an associate who demonstrates outstanding customer service. In 2020 this award included funding from the KUDOS organization.

  • Martha Brown, KidsPeace Foster Care and Community Programs, Bloomsburg, PA
  • Tonya Helton, KidsPeace Children’s Hospital, PA
  • Jules Charles, KidsPeace Foster Care and Community Programs, Richmond, VA

 

View the recorded award presentations at www.kidspeace.org/foundation-awards

 

Information Provided By:
Robert Martin
Director of Communications