Newton Students Grant $5,000 to WayPoint Adventures and Brain Tumor Association Courtesy of the Highland Street Foundation

Newton, MA – Students at the John M. Barry Boys & Girls Club of Newton are giving $5,000 to two non-profit organizations: WayPoint Adventures, Newtonville, MA, which provides challenging outdoor programs for people with disabilities to engage in everyday sports activities, such as rock climbing, canoeing, hiking; and the National Brain Tumor Association, a national organization with local affiliations. The grants were presented to representatives from the two organizations by the Highland Street Foundation Youth Philanthropy Initiative as part of a check ceremony that took place at the John M. Barry Boys & Girls Club of Newton on June 15, 2016.

The Highland Street Youth Philanthropy Initiative teaches students about philanthropy, community needs, and how to make effective giving choices. This year teen leaders of the Boys & Girls Club learned through this initiative about nonprofit management, did research on local organizations, went on site visits, and collectively decided which organization to fund. David Sellers, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club of Newton, says, “I am thrilled that we were given the opportunity again this year for our teens to learn about their community and its needs in such a unique and introspective way. We couldn’t be happier to offer the funds to such worthy and deserving causes as the Brain Tumor Association and our local Waypoint Adventures.”

In addition to providing much needed charitable support to local organizations, this program is training future nonprofit and philanthropic leaders. The Executive Director of the Highland Street Foundation, Blake Jordan, says, “The Highland Street Foundation launched this program in 2009 in order to train the next generation of students about philanthropy. We wanted to teach the skills and knowledge these students will need to become community organizers, executive directors, board trustees, and philanthropist.”

This was the fourth consecutive year in which the John M. Barry Boys & Girls Club has worked in conjunction with the Highland Street Foundation. Noreen McMahon, Senior Director of Programs at Highland Street, adds that “this has been a mutually productive and rewarding partnership.”

In six years, the Foundation has managed such initiatives at over 25 locations across Massachusetts. The program has involved nearly 1,000 young people, who have helped to give away over $450,000 in small, meaningful community-based grants.

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