The Community Foundation for Crawford County announces the formation of a new Youth Council which will offer local high school students the opportunity to serve as grantmakers. Members of the Youth Council will learn about the needs of youth in Crawford County and then review grant applications from organizations that provide services to meet those needs. The students then decide how grant dollars should be awarded from the Foundation’s newly established Jeffrey Boyd Michael Fund for Youth Philanthropy.
“Last year, the Foundation received a large, partially unrestricted bequest from the estate of Jeffrey Boyd Michael,” explained Lisa Workman, Foundation President. “Since we have been looking for a way to introduce teens to philanthropy, this seemed like the perfect opportunity to do so while also memorializing the generosity of Mr. Michael by naming the fund after him.”
Participating students must be entering their sophomore, junior or senior year of high school, complete an application and be chosen. They must also be willing to dedicate their time for roughly 3-4 hours per month from September to April, with most of that being class and/or site visits and volunteering on one Sunday afternoon a month. “We are extremely excited to launch this program,” added Rachel Jarvis, the Foundation’s Office & Program Manager. “Students will get to make site visits to area non-profits, have hands-on volunteer experiences, and receive an introduction into the world of philanthropy that is typically not available to them at this level until adulthood.”
The facilitator of the inaugural program will be Kris Bruce, Family and Consumer Sciences teacher with Pioneer Career and Technology Center at Crestline High School. A teacher for 36 years, Kris brings a vast array of experience working with area youth, as well as receiving accolades like BEST awards and a reputation among her students for always going above and beyond. She is also no stranger to the world of non-profits and volunteering, having served as the advisor for FCCLA.
Participants will gain an understanding of the needs of local youth, have the opportunity to make a difference, and earn community service hours. Only two students per Crawford County school will be chosen, and no two students from the same grade and school may participate. The deadline for applying is April 30, and applications may be found at the Foundation’s website: https://app.smarterselect.com/programs/109384-The-Community-Foundation-For-Crawford-County.
The Community Foundation for Crawford County is bridging philanthropy with causes that improve Crawford County’s quality of life.
