Investing in the Power of Families Mission Moment
Did you know that Parents as Teachers awarded $1.8 million in Challenge Grants last year? Thanks to Enterprise Mobility, we have the opportunity to offer another $500,000 this year? Parents as Teachers want to share the great work the affiliates are doing. Each month we will spotlight an awardee and share the impactful work they accomplished with these funds.
This month we are spotlighting Mental Health America of Lake County, Inc DBA Mental Health America of Northwest Indiana (MHANWI). MHANWI was awarded funds in the Workforce category. In light of the current hiring climate, MHANWI expanded its HR capacity and sought out additional community resources to augment the salary available for crucial home visiting roles. They used the Challenge Grant funding for staff professional development (attending training sessions, earning certifications, and receiving badges for completed courses), , retention bonuses for staff, created a mentoring program to pair experienced team members with newer staff and stipends for bi-lingual Parent Educators. “An especially important gift from these funds was the ability to have 5 team members attend the PAT National Conference in San Diego. The team had not been able to attend due to funding challenges for the past 6 years. It was an incredible team building experience with much learned and memories made (especially the networking night out cruise- epic!).”
Kim Smith, Program Director says, “Through these investments, the grant has had a positive impact on staff engagement, retention, and professional growth, while also promoting a culture of appreciation and continued development within our organization.”
Parents as Teachers applauds your dedication to supporting the development of the Parent Educator role!
Applications for the 2025 Challenge Grants are open until March 1, 2025.