Roanoke, VA  – Foundation for Roanoke Valley announced that it has awarded a $2,500 grant from its Community Catalyst Funds to the Child Health Investment Partnership (CHIP) of Roanoke Valley for the agency’s comprehensive child safety program.  The grant will enable CHIP to purchase and provide to its many families and children such items as infant and child car seats and child bike helmets, as well as safety gates, socket plugs, cabinet locks and other safety items for the home.
The Foundation’s grant was made possible through a partnership with Erie Insurance, a Fortune 500 corporation headquartered in Erie, Pennsylvania.  Erie Insurance was established in 1925 and has grown to become a multi-line insurance company offering home, auto, business and life insurance through branches in 11 states and the District of Columbia.  This year, Erie made the corporate decision to leverage its charitable giving by connecting its many locations with the community foundations in its corporate footprint.
Mark Banks, Vice President and Branch Manager of the Erie Insurance Virginia operations, joined the Foundation in presenting the grant check to Robin Haldiman, CHIP’s CEO.  Banks noted “We are excited about this new partnership with the Foundation and look forward to the relationship growing in the years ahead.  Our employees are passionate about helping children in this community, and given Erie’s long commitment to safety, this grant to CHIP represents a perfect match for us.”
Haldiman added:  “Every year, 14 million children are injured enough to require medical treatment, and 90% of those injuries occur in the home.  Unfortunately, home and child safety supplies are some of the most expensive to purchase and are very rarely donated to CHIP, so while we always address home and child safety issues during home visits with our clients, it is not always possible to provide families with the items they need.  This grant from the Foundation through Erie Insurance is a wonderful resource that will help us ensure the safety of CHIP children.”
Foundation for Roanoke Valley is the community foundation serving this region.  The Foundation has worked for more than two decades to administer and make grants from hundreds of funds on behalf of the community. For more information, visit Foundation for Roanoke Valley’s

Submitted by Michelle M. Eberly, Program Officer, Foundation for Roanoke Valley