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Battered Women's Resources, Inc. Receives $15,000 Grant from Verizon for School Violence Prevention ProgramLeominster, MA – October 19, 2005 – Verizon SuperPages and the Verizon Foundation have collectively awarded $15,000 to Battered Women’s Resources, Inc., (BWRI) to support its School Violence Prevention Program and BWRI’s strategic planning process, which will take place during this fiscal year. “Verizon gives $70 million a year to worthy programs and organizations like BWRI. We support these programs because we believe that eliminating domestic violence and improving literacy in the communities where our employees and customers live and work is essential to a good quality of life,” said Jim Brady, SuperPages district sales manager. BWRI’s School Violence Prevention Program has been working collaboratively with the elementary, middle and high schools of North Central Massachusetts for the past two years. The program, funded primarily by the United Ways of North Central Massachusetts and Tri-County, teaches children of all ages alternatives to violent behavior, particularly in relationships. The program is critical to the prevention of family violence. Considering the prevalence of violence in our society, information, education and skill building for children counteracts the continuous violent messages students, at all age levels, experience. With education children access valuable information and skills on non-violent communication. Bullying curriculums are offered to kindergarten through grade six. The School Violence Prevention Program addresses the issues that students are currently facing in schools and their communities. Students learn the difference between joking and bullying, as well as learning effective and nonviolent conflict resolution techniques. The program focuses on empowering students to respond to negative behaviors in healthy, non-violent ways. Last school year, BWRI’s School Violence Prevention Program was presented to more than 6,500 elementary students. Outcome measures indicated that percent of all students understood what bullying is and what effects it has. 89 percent were able to practice and apply anti-bullying skills and behaviors. In middle and high schools throughout the region, nearly 4,000 students received education on healthy relationships and teen dating violence. After two years of working with students of all age levels and from many school districts, Nicholas Howe, BWRI’s Education Coordinator said, “I believe our program offers a choice to kids and builds their confidence to use non-violent skills to resolve conflict.” “We are thankful that Verizon has recognized our School Violence Prevention Program as a necessary step in the prevention of family violence. Elected officials, including Senator Bob Antonioni, are seeing the connection between bullying, the choice to use violence to resolve problems, and the impact that can have on relationships throughout a child’s life. This grant allows us to continue this important work and helps us celebrate Domestic Violence Awareness Month in a very special way,” said Joanne Tulonen, Executive Director of BWRI. BWRI provides services to victims of domestic violence and their children throughout North Central Massachusetts. Services include a 24-hour hotline, 90-day emergency shelter, crisis intervention counseling, support groups, bi-lingual services, SAFEPLAN advocates in all six District Courts, school violence prevention program, domestic violence health care initiative, community education and a volunteer program. For more information please call 978-537-2306 or our hotline at 978-537-8601.
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