(March 26 – 11:00 ET) – A partnership between Clarica and Family Service Canada has identified 12 community projects across Canada aimed at preventing family violence and abuse through early intervention. The initiatives will receive funding from Clarica totalling $354,000 over two years.

The projects touch communities from Atlantic Canada to the Northwest Territories and are aimed at encouraging effective parenting and building supportive communities. Among those selected are pre-natal parenting and anger management programs, English and French adolescent drama therapy groups, and community workshops for divorcing parents, improving parenting skills and teens mentoring teens.

Katharin Harkins, Clarica’s vice president, corporate communications, said the partnership with Family Service Canada matches Clarica’s interest in giving Canada’s children the best possible start in life. “We believe in optimizing human potential through investments in the future of our children. We are seeking to make a difference in real measurable ways,” she added.

Clarica’s corporate giving program, “Clarica’s Contribution”, will direct more than one-third of a total donations budget of some $4 million in 2001 toward programs designed to make a difference to a child’s chances of success.