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Youth in Philanthropy Students Have Granted $62,500 to 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 Wednesday, May 8, 2019, at the St. Thomas Aquinas High School Chapel. 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 both Saint Thomas Aquinas High School and Beaver Brae Secondary School’s Youth in Philanthropy Committees presented a total of $4,400 to 7 deserving registered local charities at the 12th Annual YIP Granting Celebration.

This year’s granting 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 Mayor Dan Reynard, City Councilor, Andrew Poirier, members of the Board of Directors and volunteers from the Kenora and Lake of the Woods Regional Community Foundation, Copperfin Credit Union staff, 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 Dennis Alvestad, Community Foundation President.  “and they have made a big impact – since the  Kenora Foundation launched the Youth in Philanthropy granting initiative in 2007, the students from both schools created endowment funds and have granted a total of $62,500 to 37 different local organizations.”  Alvestad also noted that anyone wishing to donate to these funds can do so through the Community Foundation.  www.klwcf.ca

Initially, the young philanthropists identified eleven 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:

2019 Saint Thomas Aquinas & Beaver Brae Grant Recipients
Alzheimer Society of Kenora/Rainy River Districts
Habitat for Humanity, Kenora Chapter
Kenora Fellowship Centre
Lake of the Woods District Hospital Foundation
Kenora Sexual Assault Centre
Kenora Library
Women’s Shelter, Saakaate House

“The funds granted to our Society will be used for the Art therapy program provided to those living with dementia in the community we serve locally. We are grateful for the opportunity to meet with the YIP of Kenora who has a tough decision to make how they will split up the funds. The future is bright when our youth is in charge of their future and decision making!”
Rossana Tomashowski, Executive Director of the Alzheimer Society of Kenora/Rainy River

For more information on this program or to make a donation, please visit us at www.klwcf.ca


“Building Forever… Together”
Phone: 807.467.4427 • Fax: 807.468.9289 • Box 441, Kenora, Ontario, P9N 3X4
Email: info@klwcf.ca • Website: www.klwcf.ca
Charitable Registration Number: 872794904 RR0001

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