Our Impact

Overview

Unlike every other childhood cause, children suffering from abuse lack a natural parental constituency for advocacy and funding.

HFC Transforms Lives

The Alternative Investment industry, in their support of Help For Children, is filling this void by taking a stand for these children. Help For Children is a direct result of the commitment that the Alternative Investment industry has made. With the active support of our Board of Directors and other industry partners, HFC raises money and awards grants in 10 locations in 5 countries. To date, HFC has given more than $61 million in grants to prevent and treat child abuse, transforming over 1.1 million lives.

The Problem

The abuse and neglect of children is a global problem with serious lifelong consequences. It cuts across all socio-economic, racial, and religious lines.  Child abuse causes suffering to children and families; it can result in stress that is associated with disruptions in early brain development. Extreme stress can impair the development of the nervous and immune systems and have serious long-term effects and increased risk for behavioral, physical and mental health problems in adulthood.

Worldwide, it is estimated that 1 billion children are subjected to violence each year with nearly a quarter of all adults reporting that they suffered physical abuse or neglect as a child. However, since children are often too young, too scared or too ashamed to tell anyone about it, abuse can easily be hidden from view and these reports may underestimate the true occurrence. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 1 in 4 children experience some form of abuse in childhood.

The abuse and neglect of children is a global problem with serious lifelong consequences. It cuts across all socio-economic, racial, and religious lines.  Child abuse causes suffering to children and families; it can result in stress that is associated with disruptions in early brain development. Extreme stress can impair the development of the nervous and immune systems and have serious long-term effects and increased risk for behavioral, physical and mental health problems in adulthood.

Worldwide, it is estimated that 1 billion children are subjected to violence each year with nearly a quarter of all adults reporting that they suffered physical abuse or neglect as a child. However, since children are often too young, too scared or too ashamed to tell anyone about it, abuse can easily be hidden from view and these reports may underestimate the true occurrence. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 1 in 4 children experience some form of abuse in childhood.

Impact Areas

In responding to the complex issues around child maltreatment, HFC takes a multi-faceted approach in the types of prevention and treatment programs funded. We currently fund programs in the following four impact areas.

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prevention

Decreasing Risk

Educating children to heighten awareness of what abuse is and how to avoid it; educating adults on how to recognize signs of abuse in children.

Strengthening Families

Linking at-risk families to community support services and addresing issues of domestic violence, mental illness, homelessnes, and substance abuse to prevent child abuse.

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treatment

Reducing Trauma

Counseling sexually and physically abused children and youth to allow for healing.

Building Individual Strengths

Supporting abused youth in building resilience and coping skills to prepare for a successful and stable adulthood.

Our grant process is rigorous and starts with sourcing Letters of Intent (LOIs) with the guidance of Academic Experts. Potential grantees are asked to identify the outcomes they expect to achieve with a Help For Children grant. Those outcomes must be related to preventing or treating child abuse. In addition, every potential grantee must identify how they will measure success in achieving their outcomes.

Help For Children Grant Committees and the local Academic Expert, evaluate the population, problem, and activity proposed by each applicant for adherence to the HFC mission of preventing and treating child abuse. They then assess the specific projected outcomes and the measurement tools employed by each applicant to determine success for effectiveness and efficacy. Help For Children does not believe in one size fitting all. By allowing each grantee to propose the measurement tools they wish to employ, and then monitoring their implementation, HFC allows for local creativity and integrity while also ensuring significant oversight for evaluating results.

HFC distinguishes itself by providing consultation from Academic Experts to grantees to achieve measurable results. This is the HFC difference. Grantees benefit from ongoing information.

Measurable Results

Rigorous funding process

Our grant process is rigorous and starts with sourcing Letters of Intent (LOIs) with the guidance of Academic Experts. Potential grantees are asked to identify the outcomes they expect to achieve with a Help For Children grant. Those outcomes must be related to preventing or treating child abuse. In addition, every potential grantee must identify how they will measure success in achieving their outcomes.

Custom measurement tools for grantees

Help For Children Grant Committees and the local Academic Expert, evaluate the population, problem, and activity proposed by each applicant for adherence to the HFC mission of preventing and treating child abuse. They then assess the specific projected outcomes and the measurement tools employed by each applicant to determine success for effectiveness and efficacy. Help For Children does not believe in one size fitting all. By allowing each grantee to propose the measurement tools they wish to employ, and then monitoring their implementation, HFC allows for local creativity and integrity while also ensuring significant oversight for evaluating results.

Guidance and consultation

HFC distinguishes itself by providing consultation from Academic Experts to grantees to achieve measurable results. This is the HFC difference. Grantees benefit from ongoing information.