Child welfare agency to extend program into Des Plaines

An Arlington Heights-based child welfare agency was awarded a $100,000 grant to fund the expansion of one of its programs in Des Plaines.

Shelter Inc., which provides housing for children and adolescents in need around the Northwest suburbs, received the grant on June 1 from Impact 100 Chicago, a nonprofit women's corporation that dispenses grants.

Shelter's Healthy Families Program, a child abuse prevention and education program for first-time parents, currently serves a number of Northwest suburban municipalities. The grant money will pay for two multilingual aides, allowing the program to serve the Des Plaines community, according to director of development Carol Brown.

She said many Des Plaines residents do not speak English as their first language. The addition of multilingual aides will allow Shelter Inc. to reach more of the community.

"We have always served Des Plaines," Brown said. "This grant will allow us to go into the homes and work with more families."

Shelter was one of more than 100 Chicago metropolitan nonprofit agencies that applied for the grant, according to an agency-issued news release. They were one of two recipients.