The Kent County Youth Philanthropy Board (YPB) of the Delaware Community Foundation (DCF) will award $10,000 to three Kent County nonprofit organizations at a grants ceremony on April 3 at the Duncan Center in Dover.
The DCF’s Kent County YPB is composed of 16 Kent County students from public, independent and diocesan high schools. Since September, YPB members have been studying youth issues in their neighborhoods and schools, learning about community service and grantmaking, and visiting nonprofit organizations.
This year’s Kent County YPB chose to focus on organizations that provide counseling and support services to people suffering from domestic violence, substance abuse and mental illness.
Mary & Martha’s Place – $5,000 to provide food and rent for 1-3 months for unemployed women recovering from substance abuse. This grant will also help buy clothing so they can look for work.
Inner City Cultural League – $3,000 for the hiring of a professional who can do counseling and teach music and dance for a post-high school group of at-risk youths.
Supporting Kidds, Inc. – $2,000 to expand their child bereavement services in Kent County by purchasing needed supplies to train 24 volunteer facilitators for support groups.
The Delaware Community Foundation sponsors a Youth Philanthropy Board in each Delaware 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. The students learn about philanthropy and effective grantmaking, study youth issues in their neighborhoods and schools, solicit grant proposals, conduct site visits, and award grants to those they determine to be most deserving.
Retired Delaware educator Phyllis Wynn established the Youth Philanthropy Fund in 1999 because she wanted to encourage youth to become more involved in philanthropic ventures. Students who serve on the YPB are nominated by their principal or guidance counselor.
“The Youth Philanthropy Board program does more than give kids the chance to make a difference,” DCF President & CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay said. “It gets them out into the community to experience firsthand the impact their work has on people’s lives.”
2016-17 Kent County YPB
Charlie Stephan, Senior, Polytech High School
Eryne Jenkins, Junior, Caesar Rodney High School
Nick Olsen, Junior, St. Thomas More Academy
Andy Chen, Junior, Caesar Rodney High School
Christie Little, Senior, Lake Forest High School
DyShere Logan, Senior, Caesar Rodney High School
Tara Bond, Junior, Polytech High School
Justin Nash, Senior, Smyrna High School
Meghan Yerkes, Senior, Smyrna High School
Margaret Amory, Senior, Milford High School
Ali Guckes, Junior, Dover High School
Cassidy Bennetti, Senior, Dover High School
Savannah Poorman, Junior, Smyrna High School
Darby Brennan, Junior, Milford High School
Elle Harden, Junior, Lake Forest High School
Therese Sadusky, Senior, St. Thomas More Academy
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