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Nov 20, 2009 6:49 am US/Central
National Institute On Media And Family To Close
(WCCO)
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"I feel privilege to be able to have done this with the help of people and to be able to continue," said Walsh with tears in his eyes. "So, yes, will it be hard? Yes, but the most important thing is that the work can continue."
CBS
The new economy has claimed another victim, a nationally known nonprofit run by local parenting expert Dr. David Walsh. The National Institute on Media and the Family will close its doors at the end of the year due to a lack of funding.
Ever since the Institute opened 13 years ago, Fairview Health Services has been footing most of the bills. As the organization grew, so did its budget.
Dan Anderson, the president of Fairview's north region, said the annual commitment reached $750,000. He said Fairview had been in talks with the Institute for a couple years to come up with alternative funding.
Ultimately, Anderson said, "It was back in the summer of this year that we really said, 'We can't continue. Fairview can't continue.'"
The Institute may be best known for its annual report card on video games which lets parents know which ones are family-friendly and which ones are violent and sexually graphic. Walsh, the Institute's founder and president, said his group had a real impact on the sale of video games.
"The fact that the retailers will no longer sell video games, adult video games to little kids, is something we take a great deal of pride in," said Walsh.
Walsh's group also started Switch, a program designed to get young couch potatoes moving. Most recently, Walsh encouraged parents to start saying no to their kids with a book and a grassroots movement.
Last year, Walsh helped
WCCO-TV use marshmallows to test kids' self-discipline. The report was nominated for an Emmy award. Walsh uses the story to teach parents about the importance of not giving in to their kids' every request.
For the next month, Walsh will work to find other nonprofits to adopt the Institute's programs.
"I feel privileged to be able to have done this with the help of people and to be able to continue," said Walsh with tears in his eyes. "So, yes, will it be hard? Yes, but the most important thing is that the work can continue."
Walsh has already heard from nonprofits here in Minnesota and around the country who are interested in taking on the Institute's programs. As for himself, Walsh said the word "retire" is not in his vocabulary. He'll continue speaking and writing about parenting issues. He has a new book coming out next year titled "Parenting with the Brain in Mind."
Paula Engelking, Producer
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