From The Community Foundation
Forty local high school students gave $10,000 to two local nonprofits.
The students – members of The Community Foundation’s Youth in Philanthropy program – spent 20 weeks reading applications, conducting site visits, interviewing nonprofit leaders and deliberating decisions. They presented their findings to an audience of foundation board members, parents and community leaders on December 14th. The grant money is provided by area donors who give through The Community Foundation.
At the recommendation of Youth in Philanthropy members, the foundation awarded $7,500 to disAbility Resource Center of the Rappahannock Area, Inc. for their youth program SAIL, Self-Advocacy Independent Living.
The SAIL program is a weekly support, leadership and advocacy group for youth/young adults with disabilities. Through this program, disAbility Resource Center helps members learn how to advocate for themselves and others. There is a strong emphasis on transition planning to increase independent living – SAIL members learn about personal goal setting and budgeting, healthful living, public transportation and ways to pursue further education and career opportunities. In addition, each SAIL member identifies a community issue and contacts at least three legislators (local, state or federal) in support of a cause that means the most to them.
Youth in Philanthropy students recognized that this grant directly affects a relatively small group of people, but the depth of impact creates large ripples in our community.
The foundation awarded $2,500 King George Education Foundation for their FoxSmart Center
With this grant, King George Education Foundation will convert the King George Middle School Vocational Technology building to create a FoxSmart Center – available as a resource to all King George County schools.
A significant percentage of King George families do not have the means to provide their children all they need to be healthy and successful at school. According to a King George Education Foundation survey, the average county teacher spends $380 each year out of her or his own pocket for items students need: food, hygiene items, clothes, school supplies, etc.
The new FoxSmart Center will utilize grant funding and volunteer effort to create a convenient location for students and families to seek assistance and find resources in a safe and confidential manner. Teachers can also access classroom resources at the FoxSmart Center. In the future, King George Education Foundation would like to expand the FoxSmart Center to include a community garden, teacher development center, and parent/family education center.
Youth in Philanthropy student grant reviewers appreciated this resourceful model for meeting student needs and are interested to see if other localities will replicate it.
Now is the ideal time for rising 10th graders to apply to become a “YIP” member of Youth in Philanthropy for Fall 2018! Visit the foundation’s website at www.cfrrr.org.
Youth in Philanthropy, established by The Community Foundation of the Rappahannock River Region in 2003, empowers local students to make changes in their community and respond to the issues they feel most passionately about. The program consists of 40 area high school students who tackle issues like homelessness, domestic violence and sexual assault. Each grant cycle, students are challenged to practice leadership, study proposals, manage budgets, work together and present their views to an audience of peers and adults. YIP has awarded 96 grants to more than 50 organizations, disbursing nearly $165,000 to youth projects throughout the region.
