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A grant that Stamford-headquartered First County Bank Foundation has awarded to the Courage to Speak Foundation will be used to translate drug-prevention materials into Spanish, according to a press release. Ginger Katz founded the Norwalk-based group after her son died of a drug overdose. The ordeal inspired her to write "Sunny's Story," a drug-prevention book for children.
"We are grateful and honored to be the recipient of this generous grant from the First County Bank Foundation," said Katz. "This gift will allow us to reach a wide audience of Spanish-speaking parents, and to provide them with the tools and information they need to prevent drug and alcohol use by their children."
The $10,210 grant will enable translation of the foundation's training program Courage to SpeakCourageous Parenting 101. The free course, given over five sessions, helps parents talk candidly with their youngsters and teenagers about the dangers of drug use. The course is offered throughout the state.
"[P]arents have an enormously powerful influence on their kids," said Katz in the release. "That's why it is so important to be able to communicate our drug and alcohol prevention message to as many parents in our community as possible."
Katz founded the Courage to Speak in 1996, shortly after losing her son, Ian, to drugs. Her book "Sunny's Story" tells Ian's story through the eyes of the family beagle. The book is geared toward children and teens, and can be used by parents and schools as an educational tool, according to Katz.
Courage to Speak also recently received a $5,000 grant from the Fairfield County Community Foundation Financial Management Fund. Those funds will be used to enhance the organization's bookkeeping and accounting functions, and build its infrastructure, according to the release.
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