PLANTING THE SEEDS OF PHILANTHROPY

GIVING YOUTH AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN 

YOUTH BOARDS

We all know that experience is the best teacher.  Giving youth the opportunity and responsibility to make choices that impact the life of another person can be a very powerful lesson.  Our program is designed to help our youth develop the knowledge, insight and teamwork skills necessary to collaborate and make decisions regarding fund allocation.  Our youth board members are chosen by their peers from economically and socially diverse backgrounds, making them better able to understand the needs of their own communities.  For many youth board members, their involvement is both educational and life-changing.

FUNDING PROGRAMS TO HELP AT-RISK YOUTH

DESERVING COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

Each year, our youth boards evaluate grant applications and award grant monies to a number of organizations and programs serving at-risk youth in their communities.  Oftentimes, these funds are critical to the organization's ongoing efforts.  
While our grant funding may not be large we try to make a "big splash in a little pond" by funding projects that have a large impact on the lives of at-risk children, like this much needed playground for the Brandon School for Boys.

CREATING THE LEADERS OF TOMORROW

TOMORROW'S LEADERS

Investing in young people today is one of the smartest long-term investments we can make in the future.  We create an environment where our board members will:  learn Robert's Rules of parliamentary procedure, function as a Board of Directors, learn how to evaluate the financial health of an organization, develop team-building skills, engage with civic leaders to understand community needs, act as stewards of a non-profit organization's fund, and experience the joys of philanthropy.  Most adults don't have these experiences until they're in their thirties or forties.  This is a rare opportunity for high-school-aged youth and positions them well to become the community and philanthropic leaders of tomorrow.