Press Releases
News Release
DATE: June 28, 2010
CONTACT: Amy Nusbaum Rode
PHONE: (419) 695-8010
For Immediate Release
SAFY receives grant from Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Miami Valley Region
Funds will support renovation of Play Therapy program
For more than 25 years, children who have experienced life’s most traumatic situations have found hope for better days
through Specialized Alternatives for Families and Youth (SAFY). More than a traditional foster care agency, SAFY focuses
on children and families in crisis, providing outpatient behavioral health treatment, intervention, adoption and therapeutic
foster care. With the support of Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of the Miami Valley Region, SAFY’s Lima Behavioral
Health facility is renovating their Play Therapy room, offering children a unique opportunity to improve self-esteem,
enhance their ability to deal positively with life situations, and improve overall well-being.
Improvements to the Play Therapy room are funded in part by a community grant in the amount of $7,800 from RMHC
of the Miami Valley Region. The funds will purchase toys and equipment to be used in the therapy program.
"It is an exceptional gift given to SAFY and the families that come to our agency," says Diane Gable, Director of Lima Behavioral Health.
"It is so important that we work with children on their level to help them cope with life’s difficulties."
Play therapy is used to treat emotional and behavioral difficulties in children by observing a child’s choice and sequence of play.
The objects chosen and succession of activities are used to understand behaviors and assist the child in working through trauma.
"It is amazing to see the transformation of young children through play therapy and this grant will assist us in continuing this
program and enhancing our services," Gable says.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Miami Valley Region is an organization also committed to improving the lives of children.
Providing a temporary "home away from home" for families with critically ill or hospitalized children, RMHC supports efforts that
improve children’s health within our region. The RMHC Community Grant Program was established in 1989 in memory of McDonald’s
founder Ray A. Kroc. The RMHC Community Grant Program awards grants to not-for-profit, tax exempt charitable organizations with
a current 501 (c) (3). RMHC has awarded over 2 million dollars to children’s organizations throughout the
Greater Miami Valley Region and Wayne County Indiana. The current focus of the Community Grant program is to directly promote
healthy, active lifestyles for children. Marleen Milkis, Associate Director of RMHC-MVR states, "Ronald McDonald House Charities
of the Miami Valley Region (RMHC) is pleased to be able to support an organization such as SAFY. Their support of children and
families in crisis is a good fit with the RMHC mission of improving the lives of our region’s children."
SAFY is a leading not for profit foster care and adoption agency headquartered in Delphos, Ohio. An affiliate of SAFY,
Lima Behavioral Health is an outpatient behavioral health agency that serves approximately 200 families in the Lima/Findlay area.
Lima Behavioral Health has a staff of 5 full-time clinical staff and accepts insurance and Medicaid.
For more information about SAFY’s play therapy, visit www.safy.org.
###