Youth in Philanthropy program announces annual grants

This year, Winnipeg high school students are supplying prosthetics for kids with disabilities, buying hot lunches for at-risk youth, providing interpreters for newcomer women, and helping more than 150 other community projects. The support comes in the form of grants made through The Winnipeg Foundation’s Youth in Philanthropy (YiP) program. The program winds up its 11th year with a special event for students and grant recipients tonight at 7:30pm at Canad Inns Fort Garry, Celebrations Theatre, 1824 Pembina Highway. Media are invited to attend.

“The Winnipeg Foundation is extremely proud of these young grantmakers,” says Richard L. Frost, the Foundation’s CEO. “The grants they’re announcing tonight are the result of a year of research and tough decision making. We salute them for their hard work and commitment our community.”

Youth in Philanthropy is an initiative of The Winnipeg Foundation that gives local youth responsibility for allocating a portion of the Foundation’s granting budget. In 2009-10, students made 176 grants to a wide range of charities, for a total of $124,031. More than 350 students, representing 23 Winnipeg high schools and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Winnipeg, participated in the program this year.

“The Children’s Rehabilitation Foundation is always thankful for the generosity of the schools that take the time to visit our Centre, learn about our charity and choose to support the children of Manitoba living with special needs and disabilities,” says Christine Schollenberg, Executive Director of the Children’s Rehabilitation Foundation. The organization is receiving three grants through the program this year.

YiP is a year-long, student-led extracurricular project that sees youth identifying areas of focus, researching community charities and visiting organizations before deciding how to award $5,000 in grant money provided by The Winnipeg Foundation. YiP committees also establish high school endowment funds which generate interest to augment granting.

The first community foundation in Canada, The Winnipeg Foundation has served our community since 1921. The Foundation pools and permanently invests gifts from donors of all walks of life. Through its spending formula the Foundation make grants to charitable agencies in the areas of: community service, education, health, arts and culture, heritage, environment and recreation. Last year the Foundation made grants totaling more than $20.8 million to more than 670 organizations, including grants recommended by Youth in Philanthropy committees.

-30-

For more information, contact:

Joanna Fultz, Youth in Philanthropy Convenor
The Winnipeg Foundation
p: 944-9474 e: Joanna Fultz