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Youth in Philanthropy Students Address the Needs of our Community

Kenora – Young people who care about their communities are increasingly getting involved in philanthropy. This was most evident at the Youth in Philanthropy Program (YIP) granting celebration held on Tuesday, May 16, 2016, at Beaver Brae Secondary School Library. This innovative program, led by the Kenora and Lake of the Woods Regional Community Foundation, seeks to engage youth in their community and create an awareness of local needs. Students from Beaver Brae and Saint Thomas Aquinas, Kenora’s ‘’young philanthropists”, presented a total of $6,400 to eight deserving registered charities at the 10th Annual YIP Granting Celebration.

“It is fantastic that the Beaver Brae students are making a grant to support our Syrian Refugee Program here in Kenora. This need has touched their hearts, in a similar fashion to all the other community volunteers who are helping with this project”, said recipient, Peter Kirby, volunteer with the Kenora Refugee Support Partnership.

This year’s program is made possible through the hard work of the students involved and the financial support of Copperfin Credit Union. The students and grant recipients were joined by the Board of Directors and volunteers from the Kenora and Lake of the Woods Regional Community Foundation, Copperfin Credit Union staff, members of Kenora City council, members of the local Police Forces and friends of the program, in celebrating their achievements.

“These students have great ideas and want to make a difference in their community today but also into the future,” said Darlene MacGillivray, Executive Director of the Community Foundation. “In 2007, the students from both schools created endowment funds with a portion of their grant monies. In time, these funds will provide increased grant dollars to be distributed by future students.” MacGillivray also noted that anyone wishing to donate to these funds can do so through the Community Foundation.

Initially, the “young philanthropists” identified ten organizations as possible grant recipients. The list was then narrowed down after site visits were completed by the students. There were difficult decisions to be made, but after much research and hard work, the students were proud to announce the following grants:

Saint Thomas Aquinas Grant Recipients:

  • Making Kenora Home
  • Changes Recovery Home
  • Alzheimer’s Society
  • Mental Health and Addictions Program at the LOW District Hospital

Beaver Brae Grant Recipients:

  • Kenora Fellowship Centre
  • Minto Parent Child Resource Centre
  • Kenora Refugee Support Partnership
  • LOW Festival of the Arts

For more information on this program and how to make a donation to it, please contact: Darlene MacGillivray, Executive Director, at 467-4427 or info@klwcf.ca

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