PIC receives grant
GREENSBURG – The Private Industry Council of Westmoreland/Fayette Inc. (PIC) has announced that it has been selected as a recipient of Promoting Responsible Fatherhood grant funds provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. The annual award of $250,000 will support the program for a five-year funding cycle, subject to continued availability of funds.
The purpose of the program, “Dads Matter,’ is to enable fathers to improve their relationships and reconnect with their children, and to help fathers overcome barriers that often prohibit them from being effective and nurturing parents. This project will provide fatherhood education curriculum and trainings, monthly activities to engage participating fathers in father/child focused activities with their children, families, and other involved fathers.
The program will provide services to a minimum of 1,000 individuals and families annually.
The program will be open to all residents of Fayette County; there are no income guidelines or financial restrictions for participation.
PIC President Tim Yurcisin believes this program is yet another example of the PIC helping to strengthen and enrich the lives of the Fayette County community.
“Through our Head Start and Family Literacy programs we have made great strides in the growth of our children in Fayette County, both socially and educationally. We recognize that a huge part of that is parental involvement. I believe that school districts would agree that when the family interacts with the child’s school, they usually get Mom. Now we want to become a large part of helping Dad to become more active in his child’s life.”
Colette Sandzimier, PIC vice president of early childhood education, said, “The Private Industry Council is proud to have received funding for the Responsible Fatherhood Initiative. We are looking forward to providing Fayette County residents support services through the ‘Dads Matter’ program. The project will assist fathers in more effectively fulfilling their roles as parents, partners, and workers. The program will offer a variety of seminars, parent/child activities, and community activities, as well as information on available services offered throughout the county. Our staff is anxious to develop ties with community based programs in order to further enhance the goals of the fatherhood project.”
The program will be staffed by new hires Bill Huebner, program manager, and Tiffany Blaho, case manager, as well as by additional incumbent PIC staff.
The Private Industry Council of Westmoreland/Fayette, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has been operating employment, education, and training programs in Westmoreland and Fayette Counties since 1983. From its inception, PIC has provided services to over 50,000 individuals.
For more information on the Private Industry Council or Dads Matter, call Huebner at 724-437-2590, or at whuebner@privateindustrycouncil.com.