WS Chronicle

Youth Grantmakers in Action (YGA) recently announced nine grants totaling $7,025 to support youth-led projects in Forsyth County.

This year the group granted more than ever before, thanks to the generous support of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, which invested $5,000 in YGA’s grantmaking program to support youth philanthropy in our community.

The following awards were presented at YGA’s recent grant celebration event:

*East Forsyth Key Club: $400 to make care packages for homeless youth

*Forsyth Backpack Program Club: $1,500 to host a food packing event at Forsyth Country Day’s Middle School

*Love’s UMC Youth: $400 for a community garden

*Mt. Tabor United Methodist Youth Orchestra: $700 to provide private music lessons to youth living at Crossnore School and Children’s Home

*Parkland Outreach Dream Team: $775 to take Hispanic/Latino middle school students on a college tour of Wake Forest University

*Reagan High School Girls Service Club: $500 to host a Riverwood Therapeutic Riding Center event

*Reagan High School Young Black Male Achievers: $1,000 to provide a scholarship to a senior Young Black Male Achievers member

*THETA Program and Scholarship Fund: $1,000 for a high school theatre awards gala created to raise scholarship funds for a theatre summer enrichment program

*Walkertown High School FCCLA: $750 to provide books and toys to youth staying at a shelter for victims of domestic violence

YGA is a diverse group of youth ages 15-18 from all over Forsyth County who meet to gain leadership experience, represent the youth of the community, and grant money to youth-led community projects that will have a positive impact on the community.

A program of The Winston-Salem Foundation, YGA was formed in 2005 from the vision of Dr. Nathaniel Irvin and the financial support of Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust. Since its first round of grants were made in 2006, YGA has granted over $28,000 to youth-led community projects.