The following is a listing of the grants approved by the board at the FHL Foundation’s spring board meeting on April 24th, 2012:
1) A Room of Her Own – $5,000
DESCRIPTION – The mission of the A Room of Her Own (AROHO) Foundation is to challenge, celebrate and connect female writers and artists while educating the broader community about the impact of women’s literature and art. The support requested will assist AROHO with its everyday operating expenses including, though not limited to, internet and website maintenance, marketing and publicity, utilities, supplies, and staff salaries. It will not only benefit AROHO’s daily activities by providing for operating expenses, but also improves the efficiency at which we can conduct our programs. This support will provide access to thousands of published and undiscovered women writers and artists vying for a sense of self-sufficiency within their economic reality through their creative expression.
2) Portales MainStreet Program – $8,000
DESCRIPTION – The Portales MainStreet Program is a nationally and state certified program. The Portales MainStreet Program’s mission is, in partnership with local merchants and community, to act as a catalyst for the development of business and the enhancement of quality of life for the residents of Roosevelt County through the revitalization of the downtown Portales area. The MainStreet vision is to develop downtown Portales into a beautiful, restored and rejuvenated historic area that invites and encourages the development of current and future business through professional and cultural endeavors.
3) Barrett Foundation – $25,000
DESCRIPTION – The Barrett Foundation was established in 1985 by Brother Mathias Barrett to provide a safe place for Albuquerque’s homeless women and children. The goal of the Foundation is to help women break the cycle of homelessness. In addition to emergency shelter, Barrett Foundation offers the structure, support and critical skills training that help women build more secure futures for themselves and their children. Barrett Foundation helps homeless women and children through five programs: Barrett House, an emergency shelter; Bridges, a two year transitional housing; Casa Milagro, a transitional home for women with chronic mental illness; Casa Verde, permanent housing for women who have completed the Casa Milagro program; and Casa Soccoro, permanent housing with supportive services for chronically homeless women.
4) Northern New Mexico Birth Center – $15,000
DESCRIPTION – Founded in 1978, the Northern New Mexico Birth Center is one of the oldest and most respected freestanding birth centers in the nation, and one of the few operated solely by Licensed Midwives/Certified Professional Midwives. The Center provides a high-quality, cost-effective alternative for low-risk birth that resonates with both the traditional and progressive cultures of northern New Mexico.
5) Syracuse University (Dr. Kenneth Corvo–lead researcher) – $15,000
DESCRIPTION – Research project with the working title of Sharpening Ockham’s Razor: The Role of Psychopathology and Neuropsychopathology in the Perpetration of Domestic Violence. Policies regarding the etiology and treatment of domestic violence perpetration often disregard or forbid considerations of mental health issues, particularly those with developmental antecedents. Instead, a model of psychoeducation is substituted, based upon an ideological interpretation of domestic violence as only resulting from the socially-sanctioned domination of women by men. Although the literature contains numerous studies of psychopathology and neuropsychological issues in domestic violence perpetration, an integrated review of the literature examining the estimated distribution of these disorders across studies producing a synthesized interpretation of their relationship to domestic violence has yet to be accomplished. Funds will support the integrated review of the literature, the writing of a journal article to be published in a peer-reviewed journal, and the dissemination of these findings through at least one professional conference of national scope.
6) Young Fathers of Santa Fe – $15,000 (Umbrella Group – Partners in Education Foundation for the Santa Fe Public Schools)
DESCRIPTION – Young Fathers of Santa Fe (YFSF) helps young men become great fathers. YFSF is the only organization serving young fathers in the Santa Fe area. New Mexico is #2 in teen pregnancy. YFSF uses an innovative and multidisciplinary approach to achieve healthy change for the whole family. YFSF’s goal is to support fathers by providing skills which promote: 1) attachment and bonding, 2) parenting and relationships, 3) above average understanding of child development, 4) responsible family planning, 5) a decrease in substance abuse, 6) an increase in employment, 7) realistic career planning including attaining a high school diploma, 8) continuing post-secondary education, and, 9) the use of non-physical discipline. YFSF achieves this through case management, five weekly support groups, education and referrals. YFSF targets the young fathers as early in pregnancy as possible. Funds are needed to provide these services. In 2010, 150 fathers were served. The requested funds will allow us to continue our work in 2012. “The most important task of any civilization is to teach its young men how to be fathers”—Margaret Mead.
7) The Taft School – $25,000
DESCRIPTION – Funds are needed to defray the cost of travel for four seperate service learning trips:
1) In 2013 Taft will lead its 5th trip to Guatemala to build houses for families in villages surrounding Antigua. Students will organize a clothing drive; work at a malnutrition center; serve dinner at the homeless shelter in Antigua; and work at a free food distribution center.
2) In 2013 Taft students will spend a week teaching English in the public schools of the Dominican Republic. They will teach, live at the orphanage and care for the children.
3) In 2013 Taft students will travel to India with clothing and medical supplies, focus on orphanage work at Tibetan Children’s Villages, teach English, care for children, the elderly, and people affected by AIDS, and work toward the empowerment of women.
4) In 2014 Taft students will travel to Brazil, focus on environmental service, learn about the Amazon, the 16th century transatlantic slave trade and its connection to modern day slavery and environmental justice.
As always, if you have any questions concerning these grants, feel free to contact us by using the Contact Us link above. To learn more about the work of the above groups, please click on the link to their respective web sites.
Congratulations to our Spring 2012 Grant Recipients!
