Gadsden, AL – The Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention joined local and state leaders at the Alabama State House to present $11.9 million in funding to local grantee organizations in Alabama’s Fourth Congressional District, including the Skills Training Division at Gadsden State Community College.
The department, also known as the Children’s Trust Fund, provides annual funding to programs across the state dedicated to preventing child abuse and neglect through education, family support, and community-based services.
Gadsden State Community College received $185,000 to support its Empowering Families through Workforce Fatherhood Initiative, a program designed to assist both custodial and non-custodial parents in achieving economic stability. The initiative offers job training, soft skills development, and workshops focused on parenting and relationship-building. Participants include individuals from the community as well as those in area correctional facilities.
The program aims to equip parents with employment opportunities and practical life skills to strengthen family stability and support long-term self-sufficiency.
“This funding allows us to meet families where they are and provide real pathways to stability,” said Baisha Woody, Director of Gadsden State’s Skills Training Division. “Through the Empowering Families through Workforce Fatherhood Initiative, we are combining job training with life and parenting skills so participants can strengthen their families while building a future through employment.”
Funding from the grant also supports scholarships for eligible parents to participate in job training programs through the Skills Training Division at Gadsden State.
The Children’s Trust Fund continues to provide financial support to programs across Alabama focused on strengthening families and reducing the risk of child abuse and neglect through prevention-based services.
