NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release – OCTOBER 27, 2023
Contact: Raegan Mach, 254-205-8574, raegan.mach@parentpromise.org
Parent Promise/Prevent Child Abuse Oklahoma Receives Funding to Identify and Improve Services for Families, Toddlers and Preschoolers
Oklahoma City, OK – Parent Promise/Prevent Child Abuse Oklahoma is participating in a statewide project designed to identify needs of families with children born in March 2019 through May 2023 in an effort to develop new or improve existing community resources and services. The project is known as Know and Grow Oklahoma: Building Resilient Children, Families & Communities.
“This is exciting because we know the pandemic presented challenges for all of us, no matter who we are or where we live. Children who were born, adopted, or fostered during the pandemic did not experience the first few years of their lives like most pre-pandemic children. Just as we work diligently to figure out our new normal, here at Parent Promise/Prevent Child Abuse Oklahoma we are focused on discovering what those new needs are for these particular families and their children,” says Executive Director Chris Siemens.
The short-term, $10,000 contract with the Potts Family Foundation (PFF) based in Oklahoma City allows for Parent Promise/Prevent Child Abuse Oklahoma to bring together a coalition of known providers that serves families and children in our community. The groups will work with community members to initiate engagements, build relationships and collect feedback. The coalition may host a booth at a community event; conduct one-on-one interviews with parents, grandparents, other caregivers and community leaders; circulate surveys, or host focus groups.
As part of its mission focusing on early childhood initiatives, the Potts Family Foundation received funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The focus of this project is to improve the well-being of and build resilience in children born right before or during the pandemic.
Parent Promise/Prevent Child Abuse Oklahoma is working in partnership with the Autism Foundation of Oklahoma to disseminate a survey, collect data, and host focus groups. The work will take place between now and the end of the year and include the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area. To get involved and be part of this community-led project, contact Community Relations Director Raegan Mach at (254) 205-8574 or via email at raegan.mach@parentpromise.org. Join the conversation at www.knowandgrowok.org or on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn using @knowandgrowok.
Parent Promise is a non-profit that serves Oklahoma families through parent education and support. Parent Promise is the Oklahoma Chapter for the Prevent Child Abuse America state network and was founded by the Exchange Club of Oklahoma City in 1988 in alignment with their national project for the prevention of child abuse. Visit parentpromise.org to learn more.
Potts Family Foundation is a private foundation focusing on providing support for sustainable early childhood initiatives with an emphasis on root causes; empowering people and organizations; impacting future as well as present human needs; leveraging resources for the greatest impact and securing sustainability and the potential replication of early childhood programs and services. The foundation was established in 1980 and is based in Oklahoma City.
