Youth Philanthropy Council Awards $5K to Tri-County Nonprofits

WATERTOWN, N.Y. (WWTI) – Five North Country nonprofit organizations will share $5,000 to strengthen their missions and work thanks to awards from the Youth Philanthropy Council of the Northern New York Community Foundation.

The Council and its executive committee selected the five nonprofit organizations based on each’s mission, success in achieving goals, demonstration of fiscal responsibility, sustainability and formal presentation. Each of the following tri-county organizations were awarded a $1,000 grant to help with a wide range of community programs and projects:

• Children’s Home of Jefferson County, Watertown – CHJC’s SoZo Teen Center focuses on health and wellness, academics, job readiness, life skills, and civic engagement;
• Double Play Sports Community Center, Lowville — Double Play has been an all-encompassing health and wellness organization focused on improving the quality of life for Lewis County residents and surrounding communities.
• Food Bank of Central New York, Syracuse — Locally, the organization supports emergency food programs at food pantries, soup kitchens, and homeless shelters across Northern New York.
• Jefferson Community College Center for Community Studies, Watertown — The Center has been a valuable community assessment tool for more than 20 years.
• St. Lawrence Land Trust, Canton — The Land Trust works to protect privately owned open space through voluntary means within the watersheds of rivers that flow north out of the Adirondack Mountains to the St. Lawrence River.

“ It is both encouraging and inspiring to see these young adults explore the role they can and will play in leading our communities now and in the future ,” said Rande S. Richardson, Community Foundation executive director. “ These grants are also a way for them to understand the responsibility of stewarding funds on behalf of others while gaining a greater understanding of the work and mission of local charitable organizations .”

This is the fourth year the Youth Philanthropy Council has awarded mission-based grants to nonprofits serving residents. Youth Philanthropy Council Grants Committee Chair Ella Smith said the Council begin its grantmaking effort with a review of over 150 Northern New York Community Foundation partner organizations before selecting the recipients that students believe will educate Council members and benefit the community.

“ This selection process involves researching the mission and impact of each organization as well as considering the needs of the community ,” Smith said. “ This collaboration helps the Council members learn about effective philanthropic practices, understand the local nonprofit landscape, and make informed decisions about where to allocate their resources for maximum impact .”

This year’s Youth Philanthropy Council includes 18 student delegates, representing Lyme Central School, General Brown, South Jefferson, and Watertown high schools.

Representatives from each school district are:

Lyme Central School :

• Rosamond Hunt, junior.

General Brown High School :

• McKenna Lee, senior;
• Colden
• Marks, junior; and
• Olivia Wisner, senior.

South Jefferson High School :

• Jack Mangan, senior; and

Watertown High :

• Jack Adams, junior;
• Justin Draught, junior;
• Hannah Eldridge, junior;
• Harper Lane, junior;
• Mia Kelly, junior;
• Vincent Knapp, junior;
• Bennett Pistner, junior;
• Anastaja Smith, junior;
• Ella Smith, junior;
• Finley Swartz, junior;
• Olivia Urf, senior;
• Sienna Virga, junior; and
• Maya Voss, senior.

The Youth Philanthropy Council was chartered in 2010 to promote positive youth development and engage young people in meaningful activities that build their leadership skills while educating them about community philanthropy and its impact on Northern New York. Since its inception, the Council has awarded nearly 135 grants to nonprofit organizations in the tri-county area, totaling $230,070 in support. Nearly 150 students from seven different tri-county high schools have served as Council members.

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