VERO BEACH — The Future Leaders Professional Advisors Council of the Indian River Community Foundation recently awarded $3,500 in funding to support local youth development programs selected through a competitive grant program.
Gifford Youth Orchestra and Youth on a Mission were each awarded $1,750 to further their respective missions. The proposals from these two organizations were noted as offering youth opportunities to develop a sense of belonging, civic responsibility, and become involved in the larger community through meaningful volunteer work.
Shaun Fedder of Northern Trust Bank chaired the Grants Committee who reviewed the grant proposals. Fedder said it was an honor to review all of the proposals, but the Gifford Youth Orchestra and Youth on a Mission most closely aligned with the intentions of the Future Leaders group.
“We were specifically looking for organizations who embraced the role of youth in organizing and implementing the proposed projects,” Fedder said.
Gifford Youth Orchestra works to break the cycle of poverty by providing music education, experience, and training in cultural and performing arts for youth in Gifford. The organization will use the $1,750 grant to fund Smart Music, an interactive software program for band, orchestra, and voice.
This computer program will motivate students to strengthen their commitment to music and practice perfect music by giving instant feedback on errors, correct notes, and timing.
Youth on a Mission inspires youth to help the less fortunate by sharing their gifts and looking for special talents in others. The grant will help purchase materials for two projects to be completed by teams of youth working in partnership with adult supervision.
The youth will be responsible for interviewing the families selected to benefit from the projects, determining the scope of work to be done, developing the materials and volunteer lists, outlining the timeline, and coordinating the execution of the workday.
The Future Leaders Professional Advisors Council is a group of emerging leaders who have an interest in charitable giving, estate planning, and other philanthropic instruments. The group formed last year and recently completed a successful fundraising campaign to establish a charitable fund as a means of becoming more familiar with the services available through the Indian River Community Foundation.
The Indian River Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization that provides donors with flexible philanthropic tools to achieve their current and long-term charitable giving goals. Since 2008, in partnership with more than 1,300 philanthropists, the Indian River Community Foundation has granted more than $10 million to nonprofit organizations.
For more information, please visit www.IRCommunityFoundation.com or call Kerry Bartlett at (772) 492-1407.