In November, the Community Investment Cabinet and Board of Directors awarded nine local programs Community Initiative Grants totaling over $58,000.

Programs receiving grants are below:

• Maintain Your Brain
  Program Provider: Alzheimer's Association
  
  The "Maintain Your Brain" program is a new initiative designed to impact the baby-boomer generation. This program provides them with information and resources to help them adopt life style changes that will help to safeguard their health and lessen their potential of developing Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.
  
  
• HeartSpeak 2006
  Program Provider: Centers for Children & Families
  
  Centers' HeartSpeak is the return of an art therapy program for children who have experienced trauma. Centers' therapists will work with an artist to combine art and therapy, which will facilitate the healing process for children suffering from trauma/abuse. HeartSpeak will give children a therapeutic outlet and renewed sense of hope and confidence.
  
  
• Parenting Coordinator for Kids First
  Program Provider: Centers for Children & Families
  
  As newly defined under the Family Code, a parenting coordinator is an impartial party appointed to assist divorced parents in resolving issues relating to parenting. Through this grant, Centers will incorporate a trained parenting coordinator into the Kids First program.
  
  
• Reaching for Success
  Program Provider: Communities In Schools
  
  This grant will fund two part-time positions to help provide a seamless re-entry of entering 10th graders at the end of the Fall 2005 semester to MHS and LHS who successfully remedied their 9th grade academic deficiencies in the alternative environment at Coleman High School or as they repeated the 9th grade at their Freshman campus.
  
  
• Children & Adult Eye Screening
  Program Provider: Midland Downtown Lions Club
  
  This grant is to be used to buy a specific piece of equipment (Automatic Non-Contact Tonometer) to be used in the on-going project of eye screening for indigent children and adults.
  
  
• HIV/AIDS Support & Education
  Program provided by Midland/Odessa Area AIDS
  
  Midland/Odessa Area AIDS (MAAS) is set up to provide HIV/AIDS support and education. MAAS gives life-saving prevention education message to area schools, churches and organizations. In addition to education, MAAS offers people living with HIV/AIDS, as well as their families and friends, physical support, emotional support, spiritual support and even financial support upon extreme need.
  
  
• Midland Coalition Parent Awareness Project
  Program provider: Palmer Drug Abuse Program
  
  Parents are critical in preventing underage alcohol use. Many parents do not understand the negative consequences associated with underage drinking. This grant will help fund marketing about the negative consequences associated with underage drinking including effects on the growing brain, laws and penalties, and how to talk about underage drinking with kids.
  
  
• Transitional Rental Assistance
  Program provider: Safe Place of the Permian Basin
  
  This new transitional rental assistance program will serve clients who are transitioning out of shelter into independent living by providing rental assistance for up to six months. Clients qualifying for the program will participate in a weekly curriculum that will teach budgeting, financial management, and a variety of independent living skills.
  
  
• Junior High Program and Opportunity Camp
  Program provider: Unlock Ministries
  
  The current program expansion includes community service projects, independent leadership study, and weekly Bible studies in an effort to train former at-risk campers with leadership potential to become future Opportunity Camp counselors. Additionally, Junior High Opportunity Camp 2006 will double in size with seventh and eighth graders attending this session.

For more information on Community Initiative Grants, contact Alice Freidline (phone 685.7714 or email afreidline@uwmidland.org).