New Canaan Community Foundation Announces Young Philanthropists Grants

NEW CANAAN, CT — The New Canaan Community Foundation has awarded grants to a number of organizations through its Young Philanthropists Program.

According to a news release provided by the foundation, approximately 30 high school students come together each year to learn about philanthropy, the nonprofit sector and how they can have an impact on local community issues.

Students spend the year learning about various organizations in the area, how to fundraise and complete a miniature version of the foundation's grant making process, according to the foundation.

This past school year, students focused on funding human services, health, and youth-oriented organizations, many of which have been greatly impacted by the coronavirus crisis.

"These organizations have struggled providing services to their members due to COVID-19," a participating New Canaan High School senior said in a news release. "We really wanted to make sure we could support the ones that meant the most to us."

Combining investment earnings from NCCF's Young Philanthropists Fund along with donations the students raised through their online fundraiser, to the group invested $20,000 in five organizations, according to the foundation.

The Young Philanthropist 2022 grants are as follows:

• Building One Community: $4,000 to support the organization’s mission to advance the successful integration of immigrants and their families.
• Filling in the Blanks: $4,000 to support the organization’s mission to fight childhood hunger by providing children in need with meals on the weekends.
• Kids in Crisis: $4,000 to support the organization’s mission to provide emergency shelter, crisis counseling, and community education programs for children of all ages and families facing crisis.
• Malta House: $4,000 to support the organization’s mission to provide a nurturing home environment and support services to break the cycle of poverty for pregnant and parenting mothers and their children.
• Waveny LifeCare Network: $4,000 to support the organization’s mission to provide a compassionate continuum of care to serve the changing needs of seniors.

"NCCF is proud of the work put in by these students, but even more proud of the lessons learned through the decision-making process that led to these grants," Lauren Patterson, the foundation's CEO, said in a news release. "Each of these Young Philanthropists leaves with a greater understanding of the world around them. These are life skills they will carry forward wherever they go."

Registration for the 2022-23 Young Philanthropists Program is currently open and can be accessed here. The foundation encourages those interested in learning how to make a difference in your community to apply.

More information is available at www.newcanaancf.org.