PEACE LEARNING CENTER ANNOUNCES GRANT FROM THE NINA MASON PULLIAM CHARITABLE TRUST
Indianapolis, IN – November 19, 2015 – Peace Learning Center has received a grant totaling $125,000 over two years from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust to support its One Indy initiative at Indianapolis elementary schools serving students who live in high crime neighborhoods.
One Indy is designed in partnership with Indianapolis Public Schools and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department to serve students, parents, and teachers at schools in six focus neighborhoods. These neighborhoods were identified by the Public Safety Dept. as areas in Indianapolis with the highest incidents of crime, code violations and city interventions.
Children who live in Indy’s six focus neighborhoods are six times more likely to be victims of crime than children who live in any other neighborhood in our city. Studies show the resulting psychological stresses caused by this increased exposure to violence can lead to academic difficulties, disruptive behaviors, and lifelong challenges which perpetuate cycles of poverty and violence.
The three-year initiative will be implemented at four IPS schools this year: Schools 51 (Near Northside), 58 (Eastside), 39 (South Eastside), and 15 (Near Eastside). Peace Learning Center plans to expand the initiative to additional schools in the focus areas in following years based on the success of this year’s programs.
The biggest focus of the program will be on the youngest students, those in kindergarten and first grade, due to research which indicates prevention is better than intervention and, the earlier it happens, the more effective it is. Students, staff and families will participate in classroom training, assemblies, professional development and workshops, and older students will be selected for peer mediator teams.
“This is our city, these are our children. We’re calling this project One Indy because it means we care about each other and we are working together to create a better future for all children in our community,” said Tim Nation, Peace Learning Center’s executive director and co-founder.
The goals of the initiative are to reinforce schools as welcoming places; improve student behavior to increase academic performance; increase youth protective factors by teaching social-emotional learning skills such as self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision making, and maintaining healthy relationships; and enhance positive connections between teachers, parents, law enforcement, and the community.
During her career, Nina Mason Pulliam shared her financial success and business leadership skills with many charities. She was particularly sensitive to human needs, animal welfare and environmental issues. “She had a keen awareness of challenges that face our community and would take great pride in the outstanding work being done by organizations like Peace Learning Center,” said Carol Schilling, Trustee chairman. “Through her Trust, we continue to build on her legacy which clearly reflects her heart for philanthropy.”
The grant to Peace Learning Center represents one of 27 awarded to nonprofit organizations in Indiana by the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust during the second of two grant cycles this year. Since the Trust began its grant making in 1998, it has awarded more than $252 million to nonprofit organizations in Indiana and Arizona.
As of September 30, 2015, the Trust had assets of approximately $364 million. Visit www.ninapulliamtrust.org.
