Voices for America’s Children Awarded $3 Million Grant from Atlantic Philanthropies to Elevate Advocacy for Children & Families

Original Source WASHINGTON, July 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Voices for America’s Children today announced it has received a three-year, $3 million grant to strengthen its advocacy on behalf of children and families in the United States. The grant award is from The Atlantic Philanthropies (Atlantic) and will allow VOICES to improve coordination among the members of its network of advocates and their federal, state, and local efforts. Atlantic, an international foundation, supports initiatives to make lasting changes in the lives of children and youth disadvantaged by economic and social status. This new grant builds on Atlantic’s previous support for VOICES to strengthen the child advocacy movement in the United States and create sustainable improvements in the lives of children and families. “This grant is a key investment in the VOICES network, which is working in nearly every state and territory, towards the goal of transforming the policy landscape to benefit children and their families by securing health care for all children, expanding pre-kindergarten programs for 3- and 4-year-olds, and reducing the number of youth who drop out of school between middle school and high school,” said Bill Bentley, VOICES’ President & CEO. With Atlantic’s new support, VOICES aims to improve national and state policy for children and their families by enhancing coordination between the national office and the 60 state and local members in its advocacy network. “A comprehensive advocacy approach – including campaigning to build support, lobbying for specific legislation, and implementing laws and programs – is what is needed to produce tangible results for children and families,” said Marisha Wignaraja, a Program Executive of Atlantic’s Disadvantaged Children & Youth Program. “VOICES has a strong national presence and an experienced and effective state and local network, and we are confident that together they can advocate successfully to enhance the lives of children and families. “This grant is a true investment in change, it is support for bolder, stronger advocacy efforts that will generate real progress for children and their families,” said Bentley. The Atlantic grant is a renewal of initial funding provided to VOICES in 2005. Voices for America’s Children is a national, nonpartisan, nonprofit child advocacy organization committed to speaking out for the well-being of children at the local, state and federal levels of government. With 60 members in nearly every state, as well as the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands, VOICES advocates for effective public policies in order to improve the lives of all children throughout the United States. For more information, please visit VOICES’ website at www.voices.org.