Prevention Education Inc. renames itself PEI Kids.
By: Steve Feitl
Everything that Prevention Education Inc. did revolved around helping children, whether it was free conflict-resolution programs at local schools or crisis intervention for sexually abused children. This Lawrence nonprofit organization was performing a mountain of important work for the kids of Mercer County.
The only problem was no one knew it by looking at the group’s name.
That is no longer the case as Prevention Education Inc. has been reborn as PEI Kids. The group is still in Lawrence and still offering the same wealth of services. Only the name has changed.
Lawrence resident Evelyn A. Gill, executive director and co-founder, is thrilled with the new identity.
"When people hear our name, we want them to know we serve kids," she said. "It really says more about what we do. It’s a step in the right direction."
The organization was established in 1985, the primary program was child assault prevention, offered in the local schools. But over the years, the group evolved and added more and more programs along the way, Ms. Gill said.
In addition to the school programs on abuse, conflict resolution and situational assessment, the organization also offers crisis intervention for children who are sexually abused. Children are taught they are not to blame for the trauma inflicted on them.
Participants in the juvenile auto theft prevention and offenders outreach programs learn to respect authority figures and assess the consequences of actions. The group also offers supervised visitation, ensuring a safe environment for children in foster care and other separation situations.
Eventually, the board of trustees looked at the somewhat innocuous Prevention Education Inc. name and wondered if the title gave the community an accurate picture of the work being done.
"Our colleagues always knew what we stood for," Ms. Gill said. "But it was the public that said, ‘what?’"
With the help of Arcadia Marketing, and a generous grant from the Verizon Foundation, PEI Kids came to fruition, Ms. Gill said.
"What we really want to emphasize is it’s the same people, same staff and same commitment," Ms. Gill said. "It’s just a new name."
In fact, PEI Kids is moving forward with new programs or in the case of the youth suicide awareness program, the return of an old one. The concept was first used in 2002, but discontinued due to a lack of state funding. But thanks to a $10,000 grant by Yardville National Bank, PEI Kids once again can offer this assistance at no cost to the public.
The program deals with the signs, symptoms and how to deal with children who are showing signs of depression. PEI Kids is in the process of reaching out to community groups to offer the program, as well as extending invitations community-wide. Printed information will also be available in YNB branches throughout the county.
"It is an issue in this county," Ms. Gill said. "The grant allows us to get out there with the information."
In the meantime, the group also strives to educate the public of the name change. There’s a new sign at their 231 Lawrence Road headquarters. There should be several billboards this fall. The Web site, www.peikids.org, reflects the new identity, while brochures and cards sent to colleagues display the new logo.
It features the tagline, "Safe kids. Sound futures."
"That says what we’re all about," Ms. Gill said.