Riedel Foundation grants to foster grandparent program, CASA will help at-risk children in Hannibal

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Two programs that help at-risk children will train more volunteers with the help of recent grants from Hannibal’s Riedel Foundation.

The Riedel Board of Trustees awarded $3,160 to the foster grandparent program and $1,490 to the Court-Appointed Special Advocates program. Both programs are led by Douglass Community Services.

The foster grandparent program trains low-income senior adults to be one-on-one classroom mentors to at-risk children. The funding will provide training for 11 new foster grandparents in Hannibal.

CASA provides volunteer advocacy for children and youths who have experienced abuse or neglect so they can have a safe, permanent home and the opportunity to thrive. The grant will train five new CASA volunteers in Hannibal.

“Youth programs are major benefactors of Riedel grants,” trustee April Baldwin said in a press release. “These are two unique programs that help at-risk children have the tools they need to succeed.”

Douglass chief development officer Stacy Nicholas said, “The foster grandparent program and CASA show proven results in the lives of at-risk children. At the same time, they enrich the lives of the volunteers who support them. The Riedel grants will train those volunteers to give children the support they need to thrive.”

The Riedel Foundation has awarded more than $6 million in grants to Hannibal nonprofit groups since it was founded in 2000.