King Foundation presents $25,000 Grant to Big Brothers Big Sisters
Big Brothers Big Sisters has received a generous grant from the Carl B. and Florence E. King Foundation to help expand its Amachi Texas program in North Texas. Amachi Texas is a statewide initiative that works to "break the chain" of incarceration by providing guidance, support and decision-making skills through a mentoring relationship.
- Dallas, TX (1888PressRelease) July 06, 2012 - Big Brothers Big Sisters announced today that it has received a $25,000 grant from the Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation. The generous donation will help Big Brothers Big Sisters expand its Amachi Texas program in North Texas. Amachi Texas is a statewide initiative that works to "break the chain" of incarceration through one-to-one mentoring of children who have a significant family member incarcerated, on probation or on parole.
"More often than not, children of prisoners live in the shadows of their parents' mistakes and then eventually follow the family tradition of criminal activity," says Olivia Eudaly, Vice President of Government Relations and Grants for Big Brothers Big Sisters. "Thanks to the generous funding provided by the King Foundation, we can reduce the likelihood of this fate by providing responsible mentors who encourage, enrich and empower these children to reach their highest potential."
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice estimates there are 400,000 children in Texas who suffer the profound negative effects of having at least one incarcerated parent. These children face a 70% chance of becoming incarcerated adults themselves. Big Brothers Big Sisters improves the lives of incarcerated children by providing guidance, support and decision-making skills through a mentoring relationship.
Since its inception in 2006, Amachi Texas has served more than 8,500 children impacted by incarceration. Less than one percent of those children served have been referred to the criminal justice system while in a match relationship. In addition, independent studies show that after one year of having a BBBS mentor, an at risk-youth is 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs and 33% less likely to become violent.
The Carl B. and Florence E. King Foundation, established in 1966, provides support to agencies in the fields of arts and culture, education, children and youth, and health and human services. www.kingfoundation.com
About Big Brothers Big Sisters
Big Brothers Big Sisters is a donor-supported volunteer organization that places caring adults in the lives of children in one-to-one mentoring relationships. Through the positive impact of those friendships, children with a Big Brother or Big Sister are more likely to graduate from high school and are less likely to begin using drugs, begin using alcohol or engage in negative conflict. For more information, contact 888.887.BIGS or www.bbbstx.org.
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