Maine Children’s Trust awards $115,000 in grants to area programs

The Maine Children’s Trust has awarded more than $115,000 in new and continuing grants to various child abuse and neglect prevention programs throughout Maine.

“We had over $300,000 in new requests and wish we had the money to fund them all,” said Jan Clarkin, executive director of the trust.

The Maine Children’s Trust is a statewide nonprofit organization that raises and distributes money to community-based programs throughout Maine that work to prevent child abuse. The trust also advocates for increased services for Maine families as well as increasing public awareness.

“Since we currently receive no state funds, we look to the general public, as well as corporations, for financial support,” said Clarkin. “What many people do not realize is that for every dollar spent on prevention, $7.60 is saved in intervention and treatment later on.” Programs funded in this round of grants include family resource centers, a school-based bullying prevention program, personal body safety education, home-based support for first-time parents and many other services designed to prevent child abuse and neglect.

For more information on the Maine Children’s Trust or to make a donation, call 623-5120, visit the group’s Web site www.mechildrenstrust.org, or send an e-mail to info@mechildrenstrust.org.