Nine Organizations Awarded Funds From Youth Endowment Fund

The Youth Advisory Council (YAC) of the Keweenaw Community Foundation announces that $15,100 has been awarded to 9 local organizations with funds available from the Youth Endowment Fund. These grants will support projects that benefit youth in grades 6-12 in Houghton and Keweenaw Counties.

The nine grant recipients are:

• Calumet High School SADD Chapter to assist putting on the Do it for Daniel presentation about suicide prevention.
• Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly for the Buds & Blossoms program, an intergenerational program designed to benefit local youth and the elderly.
• The City of Hancock to purchase new fiberglass dasher fencing for the Laurn Grove ice rink.
• Houghton Portage Schools to purchase safer equipment for the middle school weight room and fitness center.
• Houghton Keweenaw County 4-H Council to support an archery club’s expansion their own practice range.
• Dial Help to assist funding their Mobile Response Team to continue offering on-site crisis interventions for local youth.
• Western U.P. Health Department to hold a Suicide Prevention Awareness Walk.
• Copper Country ISD and the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative to fund Cultural Exploration experiences by providing admission to various local events.
• Houghton Schools Robotics to fund Growing FIRST Tech Challenge in the U.P. which will allow for more teams to start up and local competitions to be held.

Projects will take place between April 1, 2017 and March 31, 2018.

“The dedication to improving and providing opportunities for local youth in our area is incredible and can be seen in the quality of the proposals that our Youth Advisory Council is fortunate to receive each cycle,” commented YAC President, Lindsay Sandell, a Houghton High School senior.

The Youth Needs Survey conducted in Fall 2014 collected responses from students in grades  7-12 at local area schools. The survey found that depression, drug abuse, and harassment represent the greatest challenge to local youth. The survey also asked teens which programs they would be most interested in. The majority of teens are interested in after-school activities, gaining job skill, leadership building, and health programs. The survey results are posted on the Keweenaw Community Foundation website:http://keweenawcommunityfoundation.org/who-we-are/youth-advisory-council/

For more information or future grant opportunities, consult the KCF website (www.k-c-f.org under “Grants Currently Available” or email to mail@k-c-f.org. The next funding round is planned for Fall 2017.

Through philanthropic services, strategic investments and community leadership, Keweenaw Community Foundation helps people support the causes they care about, now and for generations to come. For more information on Keweenaw Community Foundation and how to give, visit its website at www.keweenawgives.org.