Family Promise, Harry K Foundation among Sussex grant recipients
High school students participating in the Delaware Community Foundation Youth Philanthropy Boards have awarded $55,000 to 19 nonprofit organizations throughout the state. The DCF sponsors a Youth Philanthropy Board in each county to encourage students to become more involved in philanthropy. Each board is allotted a pool of money to give as charitable grants.
Board members are tasked with studying issues in their neighborhoods and schools, identifying a focus area for grant making, learning about philanthropy and effective grant making, soliciting grant proposals and conducting site visits to nonprofit organizations. With the knowledge gained from these experiences, the members select grantees they determine will have the most impact in Delaware communities.
In 2022, the DCF provided $15,000 to the New Castle County board and $10,000 each to the Kent County and Sussex County boards. This year, the Sussex and Kent boards each received an additional $5,000 and the New Castle board received an additional $10,000 to award thanks to the generosity of U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, founder of the GLOW Fund, a donor-advised fund at the DCF.
Sussex County’s Youth Philanthropy Board is funding nonprofits that focus on supporting vulnerable communities with student success (before, during and/or after school), workforce development and/or food insecurity. Preference was given to organizations that support immigrant/minority families with students in elementary and secondary school.
Grant recipients are: Primeros Pasos, $945 to help pre-K teachers purchase materials; Native Nourishment, $2,000 to provide garden starter kits to Native American families; Family Promise of Southern Delaware, $2,500 to fund clients’ needs (including rent, utilities and employment support); Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Delaware, $2,500 to support the Bigs in Blue program, which creates a bridge between law enforcement and youth to build trust and create mentoring opportunities; the Harry K Foundation, $3,000 to support its food pantries; and Philadelphia Arms Townhomes, $4,055 to build a new playground for young children whose parents are homeless and awaiting permanent housing.
The mission of the Delaware Community Foundation is to improve the lives of the people of Delaware by empowering and growing philanthropy through knowledge and relationships, now and in the future. As a facilitator, information resource and manager of charitable funds, the DCF helps communities and philanthropists focus charitable resources for the greatest community benefit statewide. For more information, go to delcf.org or call 302-571-8004.
