Above / During Ribfest 2014 when Diana Rauner, Bruce Rauner and Evelyn Sanguinetti met up with then-Mayor George Pradel at the barbecue rib and music festival, PN editors first learned about Diana’s passions to strengthen families, ergo communities. At that time, she expressed interest to learn more about Exchange Club and its mission to prevent child abuse by helping organizations such as Project HELP.
The Project HELP Breakfast, “Community Begins at Home,” will showcase how a community can work together to strengthen families that will, in turn, strengthen the community. The inaugural breakfast will take place from 7:30-9:30AM on Tues., May 10.
The keynote address will be presented by Dr. Diana Rauner, president of the Ounce of Prevention Fund. Backed by years of experience and education, she will provide her insights about the impact home visitation can make on strengthening a family.
“We are honored to have Dr. Rauner recognize Project HELP and the work we do, and share her wisdom with us on the importance of home visitation and the impact on the community,” said Peggy McGuire, executive director of Project HELP located in Naperville. “We look forward to hearing her thoughts.”
This event will take place at the Hilton Lisle/Naperville and is open to the public. Tickets are $50 each. Tables of 10 are $500.
For registration and sponsorship information, visit www.projecthelpdupage.org/.
Diana Mendley Rauner
As President of the Ounce of Prevention Fund, a public-private partnership, Diana Mendley Rauner leads the organization in advancing program and policy efforts interactively to foster systemic change for young children and families.
The leading provider of professional development and training for home visitors in the state, the Ounce works with community-based partners throughout Illinois to offer voluntary home-visiting services to nearly 1,900 families; this November the Ounce will host the 6th Annual Home Visiting Summit in Washington DC.
Married to Governor Bruce Rauner, Diana serves as First Lady of Illinois, and she and Bruce are the parents of six children and one son-in-law. Diana holds a Ph.D. in developmental psychology from the University of Chicago, an MBA from Stanford and a BA from Yale.
Through home-based mentoring and parent education training, Project HELP has been serving the community since 1992 and provides parents with the proper tools, tips, advice, and support necessary to create a nurturing home environment that encourages children to reach their full potential.
News submitted by Suzyn Price for Project HELP
Project HELP since 1992
Project HELP is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1992 by the Exchange Club of Naperville to prevent child abuse and neglect among the most vulnerable members of our community. Project HELP is accredited by the National Exchange Club as a Child Abuse Prevention Center. Through home-based parent mentoring and education classes, Project HELP works to empower parents and to promote the safety and well-being of all children. To learn more about Project HELP, visit http://projecthelpdupage.org. Watch their video at https://vimeo.com/160316374.
Ounce of Prevention Fund since 1982
Since 1982, the Ounce of Prevention Fund has persistently pursued a single goal: that all American children—particularly those born into poverty—have quality early childhood experiences in the crucial first five years of life. Their work is anchored in a growing body of scientific evidence about early brain development. Through the use private dollars, they apply that science in developing innovative programs, and then leverage public funding to support their implementation and replication. To learn more about the Ounce of Prevention fund, call (312) 922-3863 or visit http://www.theounce.org/.
