Buying a license plate can help protect a child from abuse.

Ten Arizona non-profits working to prevent child abuse and neglect received grants this summer from “It Shouldn’t Hurt to be a Child” specialty license plate sales. 

The organizations shared more than $303,000 in grants.

This grants are made possible through the license plate program, a partnership between The Arizona Republic, the Arizona Community Foundation, the Governor’s Office of Youth, Faith and Family and funding partners: Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust and Valley of the Sun United Way.

Since it began, the program has awarded more than $9 million in child abuse prevention grants.

The specialty plate costs $25, with $17 going toward the grant fund and $8 toward an administrative fee. Plates can be ordered at servicearizona.com.

“The Arizona Child Abuse License Plate grant provides critical funding to support programs designed to prevent, and minimize the impact of child abuse and neglect,” said Maria Cristina Fuentes, director of the Governor’s Office of Youth, Faith and Family.

The competitive grants are awarded after a review by a community-wide group representing the Community Foundation, The Republic, state agencies and funding partners. 

This year, grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $37,000.

Southwest Human Development has received an “It Shouldn’t Hurt to be a Child” grant to support its “Birth to Five” hotline since the service came online nearly 20 years ago. The hotline, open to all Arizona families with young children, provides support from psychologists, counselors and other experts for parents. This year’s grant was $37,000.

“Over the next year, we anticipate more than 6,600 Helpline calls to provide parents, caregivers and professionals the support they need related to the development of young children,” said Southwest Human Development’s Jake Adams.

RELATED: Child Abuse Prevention License Plate program: How it evolved

Other 2018 grant recipients: 

Casa de los Niños, Tucson, $33,300: Free parenting classes for families with particular challenges, including incarceration; kinship, foster and adoptive families; grandparents raising their grandchildren; single or divorced parents; and step-families.

Catholic Charities Community Services, Phoenix, $37,000: To provide home visits to help struggling parents with parenting skills and financial, health and social services.

Chicanos Por La Causa, Phoenix, $19,240: CPLC Parenting Arizona – Coconino County Active Parenting Program provides family support services. 

Child & Family Resources, Tucson, $37,000: Free child care for Maricopa County parents ages 16 to 23 who want to earn their High School Equivalency Diploma. 

Flagstaff Medical Center, $34,554: For counseling for new parents that includes strategies for reducing stress and anxiety, advocacy and protection for children.

Maggie’s Place, Phoenix, $29,600: To provide housing, food and clothing for pregnant women and mothers. Program also connects women to resources for prenatal care, health insurance and education.

Northeast Arizona Family Resource Center, Show Low, $10,487: For the Keeping Our Children Safe program at the Navajo County Family Advocacy Center, which was established to coordinate prevention efforts among various agencies. 

Prevent Child Abuse Arizona, Prescott Valley, $37,000: The grant provides parents information and skills to prevent shaken baby syndrome. 

Verde Valley Medical Center, Cottonwood, $27,977: Verde Valley Medical Center’s Healthy Families program offers home visitation services, community resources, health care, childcare and housing help to families.

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