For Immediate Release

Date:   July 14, 2007

To: News Editor

From:  The National Exchange Club Foundation, 3050 Central Ave., Toledo, Ohio 43606, 800-XCHANGE, 419-535-3232, Fax: 419-535-1989, www.nationalexchangeclub.org

Contacts: Karen Rich Askew, Director of CAP Services, National Exchange Club Foundation 800-816-4570; Tina Bartleson, Program Specialist, National Exchange Club Foundation 770-684-0442;   Regina Rogers, Program Coordinator, 630-961-2992, ext. 226

Exchange Club of Naperville Parent Mentor Program Receives Accreditation By The National Exchange Club Foundation

The National Exchange Club Foundation (NECF) recently accredited the Exchange Club of Naperville Parent Mentor Program of Naperville, Illinois. The NECF coordinates the largest network of Parent Aide programs in the United States, with more than 100 sites throughout the country. 

The Exchange Club Center was founded in 1992 with support from local Exchange Clubs, and has been providing Parent Aide services to families in the community for 15 years. Parent Aides are trained, professionally supervised individuals, volunteer or paid, who assist parents under stress and those whose children are at-risk of abuse or neglect.

The Exchange Club Center was accredited at the AA level, the second highest awarded, for compliance with its Standards of Operation and Practice.  Accreditation demonstrates to funders and others that the organization is in compliance with national level criteria for quality programs and sound business practices. This accreditation reflects the center’s compliance in six areas:  Commitment to Mission; Financial Resource Planning and Management; Human Resources; Networking Resources; Organizational Resources; and Program Practices. 

Karen Rich Askew, Director of Child Abuse Prevention Services at NECF, states: “The Standards of Operation and Practice has been developed based on more than 25 years of observation of programs within our network.  We believe they are state of the art and are pleased that the Exchange Club Center is a part of our network.” 

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