AVANCE is Awarded $12. 5 Million to Provide Healthy Relationships Programs for Five Years

For Immediate Release-September 9, 2020 Houston TX : AVANCE-Houston has been awarded two grants totaling $12.5 million by The Office of Family Assistance (OFA) to serve families over a five-year period. The FRAMEWorks grant will serve single, married and dating couples, and READY4LIFE will serve youth.  The goal of these grants is to create programs that will empower individuals to build solid foundations for healthy and strong relationships.

AVANCE-Houston applied for these grants, through the agency’s Healthy Marriage: Strong Families, Strong Communities program, which completed its five-year funding cycle successfully on September 29, 2020.

We are so proud to be recipients of these new grants, as we the know the valuable outcomes of these programs,” says Luz Flores, AVANCE’s executive director.  “Strong relationships among couples have a positive impact on children, and ultimately lead to stronger communities as well.  I am also thrilled that we will have an opportunity to continue working with youth, and instill these important principles on them at a young age.”

 

FRAMEWorks- Family, Relationship, and Marriage Education Works – (Adults): This grant will serve adults (singles & couples) over the age of 18 through cohorts designed to strengthen relationships and marriages, and will also help them improve their economic stability skills for the well-being of the family including their children. The overall goal is to achieve divorce rate reduction and create stronger and healthy relationships in our community.  The funding awarded for this program is $1.5 million per year, and will enable AVANCE to serve 400 individuals/ couples annually through 2025.

 

READY4LIFE- Relationship, Education, Advancement, and Development for Youth for Life (Youth): This grant will provide healthy relationship skills to at-risk and homeless youth 14-18 years old through designed cohorts in high schools.  The program goal is to create pathways to successful transitions to adulthood through healthy marriage and relationship education, parenting skills development, and career advancement.  The funding awarded for this program is roughly $1 million per year. This will enable AVANCE to serve 200 youth annually through 2025.

“I have had the pleasure of witnessing AVANCE’s work with these programs for the last five years, and they do fantastic work,” said OFA’s Federal Project Specialist Tanya Howell. “I look forward to witnessing the new heights of both programs. The agency’s holistic approach is also a big plus for all healthy relationships’ participants, as they can transition to other programs upon completion; leading to pathways for greater academic and personal success.” Added Howell.

Both new grant projects at AVANCE will continue to be led by Washington Jackson III, Chief Administrator of Support Programs and Partnerships Officer. “The outcomes and accomplishments of the previous Healthy Marriage grant were instrumental in the approval of these two new grants. This was all thanks to Washington’s leadership and the wonderful work by his team.” Flores concluded. “We look forward to continue delivering the highest quality services our families deserve.”

 

AVANCE-Houston has been providing Healthy Marriage services for over 10 years.  Under the new grant awards, the Healthy Marriage Department is changing its name to Healthy Relationships Department. The Healthy Relationships Department will have both the FRAMEWORKS Program (Adults) and the Building Futures Youth Program (Youth). Information for early enrollment, collaboration, and safe (site) hosting opportunities will follow in the near future.

For more information about the Healthy Relationships program please contact: wjackson@avancehouston.org

 

AVANCE Mission: Unlocking America’s Potential by strengthening families in at-risk communities through effective parent education and support programs.

 

About AVANCE: AVANCE-Houston began serving families in Houston in 1988, providing its signature and nationally recognized Parent-Child Education Program. Over the years, the agency evolved to provide much needed Head Start, Early Head Start, Healthy Marriage and Adult Education Programs. AVANCE provides services in nearly 20 locations and partners with over 30 community agencies to provide the highest level of support to the families it serves.

AVANCE Motto: Parents are the First teachers, Home is the First Classroom

 

AVANCE Communications: Janet Deleon janetdeleon@avancehouston.org (832) 875 9628 www.avancehouston.org

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