Two–Year Grant Will Reach Up To 800 Youth In Underserved Communities
NEW YORK, N.Y., April 3, 2006 — National 4–H Council, the private sector partner of 4–H, the largest youth development organization in the country, announced today that it is being awarded a two–year, $500,000 grant from the New York Life Foundation to implement 40 New York Life Youth in Governance 4–H Clubs, 20 in DeKalb and Athens–Clarke Counties in Georgia and 20 in Tompkins County in upstate New York. The grant will also provide scholarships for youth and adult volunteers from each new club to attend 4–H's Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF), a week–long civic leadership program held each summer in Washington, D.C.
"This grant from the New York Life Foundation will allow 4–H to make a positive impact on the lives of youth in communities where it is really needed. By empowering youth to serve in leadership roles and teaching them new skills, the youth will work to improve their communities for the future," said Donald T. Floyd Jr., president and chief executive officer of National 4–H Council. "We are grateful for the New York Life Foundation's investment in this new initiative."
"We are pleased to support a program that empowers youth to become confident, responsible citizens through the development of leadership skills," said Peter Bushyeager, president of the New York Life Foundation. "The Governance Clubs provide an important, structured forum to develop future community leaders. The youth will see the value of their contributions when they do become involved."
The New York Life Youth in Governance 4–H Clubs will focus exclusively on involving youth, ages 8 to 18, in the democratic process, civic engagement and community service. The 40 clubs, supported by approximately 100 adult volunteers, will foster new skills in citizenship, decision–making, life skills, money management and leadership. The sites, located in underserved urban areas including housing projects and low–income communities, were chosen through a competitive selection process.
The New York Life Foundation funding will also provide 120 scholarships for two youth and one adult volunteer from each new club to attend CWF, where youth learn governmental processes through workshops, leadership development classes and meetings with elected officials. Workshops for adult volunteers will help them effectively transfer their knowledge about life skills, citizenship, leadership and community to youth, and engage them in governance activities.
4–H is a community of more than 7 million young people across America learning leadership, citizenship and life skills. National 4–H Council is the national, private sector, non–profit partner of the 4–H Youth Development Program and its parent, the Cooperative Extension System of the United States Department of Agriculture. Learn more about the 4–H adventure at http://www.4husa.org.
The New York Life Foundation is the major vehicle through which New York Life Insurance Company channels contributions to national and local nonprofit organizations. Through its Nurturing the Children initiative, the Foundation supports organizations, programs and services that target young people, particularly in the areas of mentoring, safe places to learn and grow, and educational enhancement opportunities. Please visit the Foundation's Web site at www.newyorklifefoundation.org.
Be the first to Comment
= external link that opens in new window...