MFAA Grant Supports Crisis Center’s Healthy Relationship Programs in West Central Illinois
The 2026 community grant helped fund the Crisis Center Foundation’s teen outreach in Greene County, including food, transportation assistance and educational materials.
JACKSONVILLE — The MacMurray Foundation & Alumni Association (MFAA) has awarded a 2026 community grant to the Crisis Center Foundation (CCF) in Jacksonville, supporting its Healthy Relationship Programs and efforts to expand domestic violence prevention education and healthy relationship skills among young people in West Central Illinois.
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The grant supported the CCF’s 2026 Healthy Relationship Programs, including an expanded teen outreach initiative in Greene County. The programming helps young people recognize healthy relationships, develop positive coping skills and better understand how their actions and words affect others.
The announcement comes during October’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which highlights the importance of prevention, education and community resources in addressing domestic violence.
The CCF’s violence prevention programming incorporates materials from Respect.org and the National Domestic Violence Hotline, along with social-emotional learning resources. The combined curriculum is designed to meet school standards while providing students with practical, interactive lessons on topics such as bullying prevention, healthy relationships and teen dating violence.
The MFAA grant helped cover expenses associated with the programming, including food for participants, gas cards to help remove transportation barriers, participation incentives, printing and new educational materials, workbooks and books.
“We mainly used it to purchase food to feed the participants, gas cards for them to eliminate the barrier for them to get there to participate,” said Crisis Center Foundation Executive Director Dona Leanard. “This gave us the ability to say, okay, this is exactly what we need.”
The additional funding was especially valuable for expenses that can be difficult to cover through other grants, staff members said, including food, transportation and incentives that encourage teenagers to participate.
“The MacMurray Foundation is proud to carry on the legacy of MacMurray College through our grants program,” said Jane Nickerson, chair of the MFAA Community Grants Committee. “The Crisis Center Foundation in Jacksonville has done outstanding work through its 2026 Crisis Center Foundation Healthy Relationship Programs, helping teenagers develop the knowledge and skills needed to build and maintain healthy relationships.”
Nickerson said the program reflects one of MacMurray College’s core values: knowledge.
“Through their participation in the program, students gained a better understanding of healthy relationships and learned ways to cope more successfully with challenges in their relationships with others,” Nickerson said. “We are hopeful that the knowledge and skills these young people gained through the program will serve them well throughout their lives. We commend the Crisis Center Foundation for its commitment to empowering young people and making a lasting difference in the community.”
The expansion into Greene County grew out of the Crisis Center Foundation’s existing school-based prevention work in Morgan County. Staff members said outreach in communities between Carrollton, Greenfield and North Greene school districts revealed a need for additional access to education and resources in rural areas, where families and communities can be isolated from information and services available elsewhere.
The programming is designed to go beyond traditional classroom lectures. Through interactive activities and hands-on exercises, participants develop healthy coping skills and assemble personal toolboxes they can continue using after the sessions end.
Staff members said the program's voluntary summer participation was particularly encouraging, with students choosing to attend even when school was not in session.
The Crisis Center Foundation also collaborates with the Greene County Health Department, connecting residents with additional services in Jacksonville when needed. Staff members described the organization as a resource for the broader community, extending beyond its violence prevention curriculum to help individuals access other support services.
The Crisis Center Foundation offers its violence prevention curriculum to schools at no cost, helping make education on bullying, healthy relationships and teen dating violence accessible to students and school staff throughout the communities it serves.
The MFAA Community Grants Program provides funding to nonprofit organizations and educational groups whose work reflects the values and legacy of MacMurray College and contributes to the communities they serve.
About the MacMurray Foundation & Alumni Association
The MacMurray Foundation & Alumni Association works to preserve and extend the legacy of MacMurray College by supporting scholarships, grants, educational opportunities and the preservation of MacMurray’s history and traditions. Through its programs and partnerships, the MFAA seeks to carry forward the values and relationships that have connected MacMurray College to generations of students, alumni and the Jacksonville community.
About Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Observed each October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month raises awareness of domestic violence, honors survivors and highlights the importance of prevention, education and access to support services. Healthy relationship education can help young people recognize harmful behaviors, build positive communication skills and develop strategies for navigating relationships throughout their lives.
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