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St. Luke's Outreach in Brooks gave $400 to the Brooks Animal Protection Society. (Photo Courtesy CFSEA)

Youth in Philanthropy committees dish out $20,000

Aug 5, 2021 | 10:03 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – A Community Foundation of Southeastern Alberta program has experienced a record year and 15 local charities are benefiting.

The foundation’s Youth in Philanthropy (YiP) program is awarding $19,800 thanks to 11 YiP committees at schools in the area. Eleven participating committees are the most the foundation has ever had.

Dani Jazen, a Grade 7 teacher at St. Mary’s School, says students were grateful to participate in the program.

“CFSEA could have simply given this money out to charities, but instead they gave students a sense of ownership over their community by researching the greatest needs and letting them choose a tangible cause to give the money to,” Jazen says in a release.

The YiP program gives students hands-on experience working as a team and with local charitable organizations to help the community thrive.

All committees are given $1,800 which they can give to one charity or split between multiple

The St. Mary’s committee chose to give $1,800 to The Mustard Seed.

“I enjoyed my time with the St. Mary’s students as they asked well thought out questions and were very eager to learn all that the Mustard Seed has to offer our city’s homeless and vulnerable populations,” says Colette Eirich.

She says the money will go toward a security system in the new community centre.

The YiP grants are made possible through the CFSEA Youth Endowment Fund and donor contributions designated to support Youth in Philanthropy. The original donation to this fund is never spent, rather, the investment income earned each year is distributed throughout the community.

To learn more, get involved, or donate to the Youth Endowment Fund, connect with CFSEA by calling 403.527.9038 or emailing admin@cfsea.ca.

Eagle Butte High School gave $1,800 to Paws for Strength, Medicine Hat Police Service. (Photo Courtesy CFSEA)

Below is the full list of grant donations:

St. Mary’s School: The Mustard Seed – $1,800

McCoy High School: Medicine Hat SPCA – $1,800

Medicine Hat High School: Medicine Hat & District Food Bank – $1,800

Crescent Heights High School (group 1): Canadian Mental Health Association – ASER – $1,000; APARC – $500; Redcliff Youth Centre – $300

Crescent Heights High School (group 2): Medicine Hat & District Food Bank – $900; Ronald McDonald House Medicine Hat – $900

Eagle Butte High School: Paws for Strength, Medicine Hat Police Service – $1,800

St. Luke’s Outreach, Brooks: Brooks and District Victims Assistance – $200; Cantara Safe House – $1,200; Brooks Animal Protection Society – $400

South Central High School, Oyen: Medicine Hat Women’s Shelter – $1,800

Senator Gershaw School, Bow Island: Kale Memorial Splash Park – $1,800

Cherry Coulee Christian Academy, Bow Island: Prairie Gleaners – $1,800

St. Michael’s School, Bow Island: HALO Air Ambulance – $900; Medicine Hat Women’s Shelter Society, $900