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Brehon Institute Gets Grant Money for At Risk Families

By Gina Jordan

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-883736.mp3

Tallahassee, FL – A nonprofit, charitable organization in Tallahassee is the recipient of an eight-thousand dollar grant that will be used to help families at risk. The Brehon Institute for Family Services is one of eight organizations awarded the money as part of VISTA Healthcare's Community Grant Program.

The funds will benefit Healthy Families Leon and the Brehon House, where homeless pregnant women and their children can get the services they need to get out on their own. Brehon Executive Director Jackie Malone says they've been tracking the outcomes of these programs since 1999.

"All Brehon programs have a zero infant mortality rate during this time. That's eleven years, so we know that we're doing a lot of things that benefit families and that protect children and help their lives going forward."

Brehon uses grants and donations to serve the most at-risk populations in North Florida. Last year, the institute had funding of just over a million dollars. Malone says the money went toward preventing bad outcomes, which resulted in a savings to the community of $23-million.

"We reduce significantly the cost that would be shared by the public for neo-natal, educational, hospital, and child abuse interventions."

The Brehon Institute, now 32-years-old, is always in need of donations and volunteers. For information on how you can help, call 656-7110 or visit www.brehoninstitute.org.