Lafayette YWCA program wins Purdue award

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The YWCA of Greater Lafayette Domestic Violence Intervention and Prevention program has received the 12th annual Purdue University Inspiring Families and Building Communities Award.

The award, given by the College of Health and Human Sciences, honors organizations that have directly impacted a community and have improved the well-being of Indiana families. The program will receive $1,200 cash and a certificate. Two other programs, Monroe County's G.O.A.L. (Get Onboard Active Living) and Bartholomew County's Family School Partners (FSP), also were recognized and will receive $500 each.

The YWCA of Greater Lafayette Domestic Violence Intervention and Prevention program provides shelter to women and their children who are victims of domestic violence in the rural six-county area of Tippecanoe, Benton, Carroll, Clinton, Warren and White counties. It provides intensive case management services to assist women in the shelter with locating housing, employment, child care and emotional support. Other comprehensive services that are offered include food, clothing, legal, medical and mental health. The program also staffs a 24-hour crisis line, and staff members offer a variety of community presentations, education programs, support groups and trainings to community, social service and law enforcement agencies.

Get Onboard Active Living is a free, family-focused community approach to promote healthy lifestyles and decrease childhood obesity by providing children and their families education and support in nutrition, exercise, behavior and community resources. Physicians refer children, who are at or above the 85th percentile in age and gender specific Body Mass Index charts, to the 12-week program. The program that focuses on teaching lifelong changes for an active lifestyle is based on a nutrition, activity and behavioral curriculum, and is partnered with the Indiana University Health Bloomington Hospital, the IU Department of Health and Kinesiology and Monroe County YMCA.

Family School Partners helps prepare children for kindergarten by providing parents with home resources and education materials so they can help their children be school ready. Resources focus on developing skills in literacy, language, numbers and motor skills. Information, support and assistance also are provided to the families to help them be involved in community educational activities and preschool programs. The program also has added more bilingual parent educators to its staff to help with the growing number of Hispanic families in the community.

Writer: Amy Patterson Neubert, 765-494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu

Sources: Denise M. Buhrmester, director of communications for the College of Health and Human Sciences, 765-496-3663, dmbuhmester@purdue.edu