HoCo Youth Award $30K In Coronavirus Relief Grants To Nonprofits

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — A 15-member student panel from the Community Foundation of Howard County’s Youth in Philanthropy program has selected six nonprofits for its second round of coronavirus relief grants. The grants total $20,000 and were awarded to Equity4HC ($5,000), United Way of Central Maryland ($5,000), Prepare for Success ($3,000), Meals on Wheels ($3,000), HopeWorks ($2,000) and Neighbor Ride ($2,000).

The Youth in Philanthropy students also awarded $10,000 in grants to four other Howard County nonprofits at the end of May, bringing the total YIP grant funding to $30,000 to 10 nonprofits.

After YIP’s first round of grants at the end of May, the students initiated the #19for19 fundraising campaign to raise $5,000. Each student was challenged to solicit a $19 donation from 19 people they knew and they exceeded their goal. Baltimore Gas and Electric, the development team building the new Howard County courthouse and the Community Foundation of Howard County board matched the sum, donating $5,000 each.

“It was really impressive how our YIP students adjusted to the new world of covid-19 in March,” said Jeffrey Boutwell, a foundation volunteer and donor who established the Youth in Philanthropy program with CFHoCo, in a statement. “First, they re-oriented the initial grant program of $10,000 to meet the needs of coronavirus emergency response organizations. Then in June they took the initiative to start a second round of fundraising that ultimately brought in $20,000 that they have just awarded in grants.”