Mr. Harris, in a partnership arrangement with Illinois authorities begun seven years ago, also established the Ounce of Prevention Fund, which used the Beethoven Project as a model for providing prenatal care and early childhood help in inner city communities.

The Tax Check-off Homeless Prevention Fund, passed in 1989, raised over $1 million in its first five years.

In February 2009, President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 part of which addressed homelessness prevention, allocating $1.5 billion for a Homeless Prevention Fund.

Since 2003, the foundation focused on programs for children ages birth to eight in Illinois, including Advance Illinois, Illinois Action for Children, Once of Prevention Fund, and Erikson Institute.

The Chicago Urban League and the Ounce of Prevention Fund, which helps teen-age mothers and their children, have joined in sponsorship of the project.

Cassette tapes were sold of the songs at various southeast Wisconsin locations with proceeds went to the Child Abuse Prevention Fund.

An independent evaluation of Neighbor To Family by The Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida reported:

Diana is President of the Ounce of Prevention Fund, an education, research and advocacy public-private partnership which operates innovative early education programs nationwide.

Irving Harris, who is 75, will be honored for creating the Ounce of Prevention Fund, which seeks to prevent the abuse and neglect of children, and the Beethoven Project, which supports poor families.

Neighbor To Family, An Innovative Approach to Foster Care, Amended Evaluation Report, April 17, 2003 by The Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida in cooperation with the Florida Department of Children and Families.