John Rex Endowment awarded a grant in early March to SAFEchild to lead 40 Wake County agencies as they continue working on effective child abuse and neglect prevention strategies.

The two-year, $225,000 grant builds upon an Endowment grant awarded in 2018 to SAFEchild and Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina, resulting in the formation of the Wake County Child Abuse Prevention Committee and subsequent recommendations for helping children and families.

The grant was awarded before the COVID-19 pandemic began to impact Wake County. The Endowment has pledged that during this time, grantmaking will continue and grant reporting and project timelines will become more flexible, helping SAFEchild and others continue their important work.   

There is always a critical need for child abuse and neglect prevention. Many families are suffering from severe housing issues or homelessness; lack of adequate healthcare and health insurance coverage; and lack of adequate income or education to stay above the poverty level. These stressors trigger instances of neglect and abuse of children. The impact of COVID-19 will no doubt magnify these existing stressors, making the work being done by the 40 Wake County agencies even more vital.

Kellan Moore, President and CEO of John Rex Endowment, says, “We are proud to support the next phase of this prevention plan and applaud the work these 40 county agencies do to manage through the trauma our community is experiencing right now. We are grateful they are on the front lines each and every day working together to support our most vulnerable children and families.”