High school students participating in the Sussex County Youth Philanthropy Board of the Delaware Community Foundation have awarded $15,000 to five nonprofit organizations.
The foundation sponsors a youth philanthropy board in each county to encourage high school students to become more involved in philanthropy. Each board of high school students is allotted a pool of money to give as charitable grants.
Since September, YPB members have been studying youth issues in their neighborhoods and schools, learning about philanthropy and effective grantmaking, soliciting grant proposals and conducting site visits to nonprofit organizations. Using that knowledge and experience, the students awarded grants to nonprofits they determined to be most deserving.
The foundation provided $10,000 to the Sussex board. Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester, founder of the GLOW Fund, a donor-advised fund at the DCF, provided $5,000 for each county’s youth philanthropy board to award to nonprofit organizations.
This year’s Sussex County Youth Philanthropy Board focused on nonprofits that address the social determinants of health, including but not limited to mental health, substance abuse, domestic abuse, homelessness and food insecurity. Preference is given to organizations that support low-income families.
Children & Families First received $3,000 to fund the Casey Community of Hope in Seaford. Laurel Community Foundation received $3,000 to fund House of Hope I & II short-term transitional housing apartments. One Village Alliance received $3,000 to support the Freedom Fellows mentoring program in Sussex County. Philadelphia Arms Townhomes received $4,000 for the Ellendale homeless shelter Morgan’s Place. Survivors of Abuse in Recovery received $2,000 to fund a part-time practice manager.