Northern Tier News

Reps. Tina Pickett and Clint Owlett have announced a state grant exceeding $125,000 awarded to Supporting Area Families Everyday (SAFE). The funds will be used to expand SAFE's supervised visitation and parent education program in Bradford County and nearby areas.

“This funding will help to ensure parents have the support they need to foster healthy relationships with their children,” said Pickett. “By investing in these vital services, we are not only improving outcomes for families today but also building a safer, more stable future for our local communities.”

Owlett emphasized the importance of family support, stating, “Families are the cornerstone of our Commonwealth and society as a whole. There’s no greater investment we can make than in programs like this that support families, help parents work through challenging times and protect our children.”

SAFE is dedicated to reducing domestic violence by providing safe environments during custody exchanges and teaching emotional self-regulation skills to parents. The grant will cover the salary and benefits of the specialist responsible for implementing the program. With this funding, the Towanda-based nonprofit aims to increase its service capacity by 25% over two years.

The Pennsylvania Commissioner on Crime and Delinquency’s School Safety and Security Committee awarded the grant through its Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) program. Eligible applicants could receive up to $950,000 to support community violence prevention initiatives.