Thanks to an $800 grant from United Way of Martin County Character Counts! program, Helping People Succeed will be able to entertain and educate these young visitors while in their waiting room. The non-profit organization serves more than 4,500 families along the Treasure Coast and receives part of its annual funding from United Way.

“The purpose of this grant funding is to increase awareness of the principles of Character Counts! to more than 2,000 families with young children within this next year,” explained Kathy Derringer, Vice President of Successful Families.

The videos will expose children between birth and age 19 to the Six Pillars of Character – Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship. Families enrolled in Helping People Succeed’s Brain (Building Readiness Among Infants Now) program will receive new print materials through developmental monitoring mailings, while families with children from 5 to 19 years of age visiting the lobby waiting area will view age appropriate Character Counts! DVDs, all purchased through the grant.

Data Entry Specialist/ASQ Coordinator Michelle Chevalier organizes Character Counts! programs at Helping People Succeed. She coordinated a food drive for House of Hope in recent weeks and a Helping Hands program for staff, had consumers in Community Connections learn the Six Pillars through art projects last year and reminds staff with posters and printed announcements about Character Counts! projects throughout the year.

“Helping People Succeed considers Character Counts! a great program for the people we serve and a corporate responsibility, as well, utilizing the pillars in our workplace to help encourage and maintain harmony, good work relationships and a culture based on ethics in our wonderful organization,” said Suzy Hutcheson, President/CEO of Helping People Succeed.

Helping People Succeed will be celebrating its 50th Anniversary in March 2014.